Winter Isn't Done Yet: A Cold Weekend, Then Nor'easter Threat
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- 51 degrees is the average high temperature this time of year and it will probably be over a week until we can return to near average. Unlike most of this winter, this Arctic blast is going to be sticking around for several days. High temperatures this weekend will be around 15-20 degrees below average but it will feel like the single digits at times with the wind. Highs on Saturday will struggle to make it near freezing and just a few degrees above freezing on Sunday, even with the stronger March sunshine. The cold air will remain in place when our next storm system moves in.
The jet stream pattern will be in a nice setup for a coastal storm early next week, also something we haven't seen much of this winter. Cold air locked in place and available Atlantic Ocean moisture will bring potential for a late season rare snowstorm to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
There is high confidence that there will be a coastal storm and the potential for over a foot of snow somewhere in the Northeast. However, plenty of uncertainly exists in the exact details of this storm as it will come down to the development, timing and track. The main energy for the storm will not be moving inland off the Pacific Ocean until Sunday morning so until then there will be lots of changes in the forecast guidance. The coastal storm is then expected to form sometime on Monday. At this point, the storm would impact the Delaware Valley late Monday night and Tuesday.
Behind the storm, it will remain cold with below average temperatures and a slow warming trend by next weekend.
- TONIGHT - Partly cloudy and very cold. Low 20.
- SUNDAY - Partly sunny and cold. High 36.
- MONDAY - Increasing clouds and cold. High 38.
- TUESDAY - Snow and wind likely. High 36.
- WEDNESDAY - Partly sunny and windy. High 34.