Bomb Cyclone Noreaster: Northeast faces heavy snowfall and blizzards this weekend, but models are still unclear how bad it will be
Forecasters predict eastern Massachusetts, including Boston and Rhode Island, to experience significant impacts, with forecasts of 8 to 16 inches of snow combined with gusts of up to 60 mph.
Five million people in the region will be hit by the winter storm in effect Friday night through Saturday night, according to the National Weather Service.
“This storm is likely to intensify at a rate and intensity comparable to that of only the strongest hurricanes, so this storm’s high-end potential cannot be overstated. But with administrators learning like real estate, it will all come down to location, location, location,” said CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller.
Forecasters say moderate to heavy snow is possible from New York to Washington, but confidence in potential impacts is much lower.
According to many forecast models, the storm could shed up to 8 inches of snow in Philadelphia and New York City, while Washington, DC, could be up to 2 inches thick, according to many forecast models.
The dual threat of heavy snow and strong winds is likely to create blizzard-like conditions through the Northeast.
A blizzard occurs when snow combines with gusts above 35 mph for more than three hours and creates visibility below a quarter of a mile.
Forecast uncertainty
Forecasters reinforce the view that it is still too early to accurately predict the impact of storm totals and snowfall.
Different forecasting models show different paths of the storm, which makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly what will happen, the NWS said.
CNN meteorologist Robert Shackelford explains those differences in large part because each model uses different methods to determine their forecasts.
“All options are still on the table as there are still 3 days to go and we cannot rule out a shift back to the west or even an even further eastward shift with less snow.” forecasters said early Thursday morning.
Coastal flooding is a possibility
In addition to gusty winds and blowing snow, coastal flooding is also possible in some areas.
“Significant coastal impacts are possible in the Northeast, including coastal flooding and beach erosion,” the forecast center said.
The stronger the storm, the greater the water surge along the coast.
“Coastal flooding is a concern due to Saturday’s high tides,” the Boston Weather Service said. “The combination of strong northeasterly winds and high seas will bring storm surge that, if coincided with high tides, will lead to mild or moderate coastal flooding.”
A difference in storm duration – even as little as six hours – would make a big difference in impact on concerns about coastal flooding and erosion.
The area also experienced icy conditions Wednesday, with crashes reported in northern Indiana after drivers lost control of their vehicles on slippery bridges, officials said.
A FedEx pickup truck was left suspended over a bridge on the Indiana Toll Road in St. Joseph when the driver lost control after being hit by another vehicle that lost control, Sgt. Ted Bohner, spokesman for Indiana State Police District 24.
Bohner said the FedEx truck hit another vehicle in the rear, sending the vehicle out and the FedEx truck crashing into the concrete retaining wall of a bridge.
Officials said another vehicle also lost control on icy roads, hitting and overturning a railing. “The vehicle rolled or slid down the embankment and almost entered the road that runs parallel to the Toll Road,” said Bohner.
CNN’s Judson Jones and Jennifer Henderson contributed to this report.
