Pinwheel Pattern Means Nothing But Cold
Not one, but two snowstorms will take aim at northern New England in the next few days. This is not a pattern conducive to bring snow to southern New England, but north facing slopes in the north country will find their first significant snowfall of the season.
Our first low is currently sitting and weaking in the Gulf of Maine. Snowing in Portland the AM while Raining in Caribou with warm air wrapping in off of the warmer ocean. This storm has been captured by a big dip in the jet stream create scattered snow showers in the mountains of Maine, northern New Hampshire, northern Vermont...as the low drifts toward the St. Lawrence Valley in Quebec this weekend.
In southern New England, a mostly dry chilly weekend is expected. Plenty of morning sunshine will give way to increasing PM cloudiness. Clouds are backing in off the water. A band of rain/snow showers is falling apart as it approaches Cape Ann. Flurries being reported in Revere the morning. A spotty light wet wintry mix can be expected here through midday. ...if it does not fall apart first! NW winds breezy with gusts over 20 mph will make if feel awfully chilly today despite temps climbing into the Lwr 40's by this afternoon.
Downsloping drying winds will help to keep southern New England dry this weekend and fairly bright as well...but midlevel clouds will be on the increase Sunday where skies should be mostly cloudy. The clouds will help to reflect the sun and keep temps mostly in the 30's under the cool Canadian flow.
A second storm is already depositing heavy snows from the Twin Cities of Minnesota to Chicago. This storm will swing up from the Atlantic Ocean, offshore of southern New England, but will boomerang northwestward across the same region with more rounds of windblown snow beginning Monday.
The heaviest snow will occur over Northeast Maine where upto 1 foot or more of snow may fall from Bangor points northeastward. It will look and feel like a blizzard up there. This should be another good dumping for the North facing slopes. The pattern has potential to unload a foot or two of snow on some ski resorts from northern Vermont and northern New Hampshire . This snow will definitely allow a few resorts to build their snow bases, and open even more trails to get this season started!
Meanwhile, as this second stronger low backs in towards Quebec, it will tap into the coldest air we have seen so far this season and direct it into the northeast US. New York first, then New England. The real cold air will have to wait for the midweek with stronger NW winds delivering the punch by Wednesday.
So when are we going to finally see our first snowfall? Good question. Right now there is a chance for light snow with a weak clipper by next Friday...and then after that a chance for some coastal development by mid-month sometime around the 1-15th time period. We will keep an eye on it for you.
