Good evening everyone and Happy Friday. We have the First Prediction for Monday out and we have the latest details on the winter storm to go over. Let’s dive in.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 1 AM Sunday until 1 PM Monday. The National Weather Service is anticipating 12 to 18 inches of snow with up to a light glaze of ice. Snow will begin after midnight Sunday morning and become heavy after sunrise Sunday morning. However, there is a risk that sleet pushes far enough north to reach the Poconos – if this were to happen, it would result in the area receiving the lower end of the snowfall range. If the Poconos manage to avoid sleet, I would anticipate snowfall totals closer to 18 inches. I have growing confidence that the jackpot zone – up to 24 inches of snowfall, no sleet – is probably going to land around or slightly north of the PA/NY border since they are going to deal with colder temperatures, no sleet, and a longer snowfall duration.
For Monday, school reactions will depend on how much snow the area receives and when it stops. The newest model guidance suggests an earlier stop time: just after midnight Monday morning. I do think the argument for closings is very strong given the amount of snow expected, but in a bust-low/early-stop situation, I cannot confidently rule out delays, hence the 10% risk.
Looking ahead, I will issue the Second Prediction tomorrow, followed by the Final Prediction on Sunday. For Tuesday, there is a chance the region could get Cold Weather Advisories/Warnings again, which could mean additional school delays. I will begin issuing predictions for Tuesaday starting Saturday.
Looking for specific predictions for your district or area? This is a fantastic time to sign up for Premium membership: the site has been overhauled and now features district-by-district predictions for all of PA (including an easy search feature), a zip code prediction tool, Northeast USA school predictions, and the original NEPA graphics. Membership is valid for a year: signing up now provides membership for the rest of this winter and into the first half of next winter.
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Tomorrow is the last day to make sure you are prepared; take the time to do so. Thank you everyone for the support and have a great rest of your evening.
