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AccuWeather – by Alex Sosnowski
A storm bearing strong winds, heavy snow, torrential rain, thunderstorms and fog will converge on the Northeast and Midwest on Christmas Eve and will likely create major travel delays, both on the roads and at airports.
The early stages of travel problems from patchy rain and fog will develop on Tuesday. The most widespread travel disruptions and the worst weather conditions in terms of windswept rain and travel-impairing snow will be centered on Christmas Eve.
Problems due to snow and wind will continue in the Upper Midwest and central Appalachians into Christmas Day.
As warmer air surges northward with the rain, the risk of travel delays due to fog will increase.
According to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams, “Areas and episodes of fog can be a problem for travelers in the Midwest and Northeast spanning Tuesday into Wednesday night.”
Low ceilings and fog could lead to flight delays at times from Detroit and Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, New York City and Boston.
For many people traveling by ground and air, rain will be an inconvenience. However, enough rain can fall at times to cause poor visibility and increase the risk of hydroplaning for those traveling at highway speeds.
Excess water on the roads will reduce the braking action and increase the distance required between vehicles in an emergency situation.
Heavy rainfall in the South and Midwest will tend to be spotty, but as the storm moves northward on Christmas Eve, heavy rain will become widespread progressing through the mid-Atlantic and New England.
Enough rain can fall to cause urban and poor drainage flooding in the I-95 mid-Atlantic and southern New England corridor on Wednesday into Wednesday night.
Check the start and stop times of rain, including when the most intense rain will arrive, using AccuWeather MinuteCast® for your location.
According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity, “We are concerned about rapidly melting snow, combined with heavy rain leading to a stream and river flooding situation in northern New England.”
One of the most common causes of flight delays is strong winds, especially where they blow perpendicular to runways.
Gusty winds blowing from the south and east may lead to flight delays in the mid-Atlantic, New England and eastern Great Lakes region Tuesday night and Wednesday.
The strongest winds are likely in New England Wednesday into Wednesday night, when gusts could reach 60 mph along the coast and over mountains across the interior. Gusts could approach 50 mph around New York City Wednesday into Wednesday evening.
Increasing winds from the west and northwest may cause similar problems throughout the Midwest and mid-Atlantic on Christmas Day.
Turbulence during and in the wake of the storm could be a problem on some flights.
The storm system may become strong enough to produce thunderstorms from Florida to Maine.
“The greatest risk of severe thunderstorms is from the eastern part of the Carolinas to Delmarva,” Margusity said.
While much of the South, mid-Atlantic and New England will be spared travel problems from snow with this storm, significant travel delays and dangers will develop in the Midwest and perhaps the Appalachians from Christmas Eve through Christmas Day.
The greatest risk of an all-out snowstorm is over northern Michigan and central Ontario.
It is during the transition to colder air following rain, when the greatest dangers for travelers may develop farther south.
While not a huge amount of snow is forecast for the Ohio Valley states, the lower Great Lakes and central Appalachians with the storm itself, snow showers or a quick burst of snow could lead to a rapid covering of snow on the highways.
From parts of Illinois, Kentucky and lower Michigan, eastward to western Pennsylvania, western New York and West Virginia, motorists should be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions on Christmas Eve. This could occur during the day over the Midwest and toward evening around the central Appalachians as temperatures fall.
Check AccuWeather MinuteCast® for your location before heading out on the roads. It will show you the start and stop times of precipitation over the next two hours, and it will show you when rain will change over to snow.
A significant lake-effect snow event is likely in the wake of the storm on Christmas Day.
There is the potential for a foot or more of snow, where the bands of lake-effect persist in northern Indiana, southwestern and northern Michigan, northern Wisconsin, northeastern Ohio, northwestern Pennsylvania and western and northern New York state.
Meanwhile, as a storm targets the Midwest and Northeast on Christmas Eve into Christmas Day, a storm will also roll through part of the West with areas of heavy snow around the same time.
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/christmas-travel-snow-wind-rain/39268438
Oh, great,rain and wind , melting , then freezing with an unknown amount of snow on top. I’m glad we’re not traveling this year. Think I’ll get a nice fire going in the fireplace, make myself a large hot buttered rum and watch Christmas movies.
Good plan. 🙂
“The greatest risk of an all-out snowstorm is over northern Michigan and central Ontario.”
I should have guessed this was ground zero. On the lowest map, I live right near the word “INTENSE”.
“A significant lake-effect snow event is likely in the wake of the storm on Christmas Day.”
“Lake effect” snow is the snow that never stops. I just hope it’s not too powdery or snowshoes hardly help. I guess it would be nice if it didn’t bury the house, too.
And don’t forget that you can bet your ass to expect that there will be extra hands at the airports to feel you up and making you feel all warm and fuzzy inside while giving you a lump of coal on the way through the scanners during Christmas time. 😉
I’m sure they’ll have a group of psychotic TSA molesters at LAX with the look of an ex-con on their face, wearing Santa hats and getting together to sing Christmas Carols for the mainstream media to falsely show that they are “nice and wonderful people” who actually give a shit about anyone or anything.
🙄 Pathetic.