It is still fun seeing all of the photos and snow reports from the Nor’easter this week, which gave some much needed snow and powder to resorts throughout the East Coast. The western Mid-Atlantic did not see the brunt of the Nor’easter but saw favorable upslope snow showers. Check out Snowshoe with 9 inches of snow reported from Monday through Wednesday. 

Conditions will deteriorate fast on Friday with widespread rain but change for the weekend with some lake effect and upslope snow showers. Many areas will wake up to rain Friday morning with widespread light rain throughout the day. Rain will move out Friday evening with a strong cold front pushing in gusty winds and below freezing temperatures. Check out the NAM model’s depiction of precipitation type and intensity from 8 pm Friday, March 17th through 8 am Sunday, March 19th. 

The big news this weekend will be widespread snow squalls and lake effect snow. A favorable sub-artic air mass will move moisture and gusty winds, that will gather additional moisture off of the Great Lakes. Snow squalls will be intense but brief and drop a quick couple of inches of snow. Whiteout conditions are possible so heads up! 

Westerly winds off of the Great Lakes will develop lake effect snow bands primarily for western NY resorts. Holiday Valley and Kissing Bridge could do really well, with 3-7+ inches likely and possibly more if snow bands can intensify more. Resorts in other areas of the western Mid-Atlantic and further inland into PA and NY will see 1-3 inches of snow. 

Here is a look at the NAM model’s snow accumulations on Saturday and Sunday. I think snow totals could be a bit higher in the northwestern Mid-Atlantic and a bit lower in western MD and WV. 

Snow will clear Sunday evening and set up Monday to be a beautiful day with temperatures in the 40s and 50s. Tuesday, March 21st will be dry as well with widespread temperatures in the 50s. A storm to the south on Wednesday, March 22nd bears monitoring.   

A coastal storm over the southeast United States will develop on Tuesday, March 21st. The latest forecast continues to push it slightly further north but it will not be able to push north enough to affect most parts of the region. There are still potential effects for high elevation snow in North Carolina and the southern Mid-Atlantic on Wednesday, March 22nd. 

Here is a look at the Euro (left) and GFS (right) model’s depiction of precipitation type and intensity on Tuesday evening, March 21st.  

Black arrows indicate the expected storm track out to sea. 

The GFS model moves the storm slightly closer but the Euro model moves it further out to sea since Thursday’s model runs. The rest of the region will continue to have dry and seasonable weather with the next storm system tracking to the north around Friday, March 24th. This will bring rain with some backside snow potential by next weekend. 

Thanks for reading and I will have the next forecast Sunday morning. 

Zach Butler, Meteorologist for the Mid-Atlantic Daily Snow.