JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An intense storm system, with a pressure low enough to be considered near hurricane strength, is wrapping up along the Virginia/Maryland coast and heading straight for the northeast and New England.
Ample moisture from the south and northerly winds around that low driving in the cold from Canada is proving to be a perfect mix for crippling conditions and snow measured by the feet, not inches.
Recommended Videos
The storm that is bringing blizzard conditions from NYC to Boston was the same system that brought scattered rain to northeast Florida on Thursday. Heavier rain was observed in central Florida and southeast Georgia. Most locations received between a trace and a half inch of rain.
Officials are urging people to stay home Friday and Saturday in the northeast as the powerful storm system moves in. New York City, which saw mainly light rain mixed with snow early on Friday, is expecting the snow to pile up to as much as a foot by the time it's all said and done. As for Boston, this storm could go down as one of the biggest ever observed in the city.
According to the
National Weather Service, some 24 to 30 inches could fall on the city before the snow ends on Saturday night. That's almost 3 feet of snow!
As for our weather locally, the storm system exiting the region will keep a northerly flow over our area. We're looking for abundant sunshine through the weekend with seasonable temperatures. Our next best chance of rain comes mid week with the arrival of another cold front.