Storm to unleash up to a foot of snow, strong winds in New England

By Brett Rathbun, AccuWeather meteorologist

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

December 28,2016, 3:55:30AM,EST

 

 A strengthening storm will deliver heavy snow and wind to New England before the end of the week.

People continuing with their holiday journeys or beginning their end-of-the-year vacation could face some problems in the Northeast due to the storm.
Regardless of the type of precipitation, the storm will cause extensive travel disruptions on Thursday and Friday. Road conditions will range from wet on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to snow-packed in central New Hampshire and northern Maine.

How quickly the storm strengthens and how close it tracks along the coast will determine which areas receive all rain, all snow or a combination thereof, according to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams.
A distance of less than 50 miles will bring conditions ranging from windswept rain in southeastern New England to blowing and drifting snow in central New England.
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Areas from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore, Philadelphia and Providence, Rhode Island, can expect all rain from the storm. A small accumulation of snow with slushy travel is in store for the central Appalachians.
Mostly rain will fall around New York City.
From just north and west of New York City, to Hartford, Connecticut, Boston and Portland, Maine, the storm will bring a combination of rain and wet snow.

"Boston is a close call between back-and-forth rain and snow versus an all-out heavy snowstorm," Abrams said.
From northwestern Connecticut to central and western Massachusetts, much of Vermont, interior New Hampshire and western and northern Maine, all or mostly snow will fall with the potential for 6 inches or more of snow.
Parts of northern New England could receive a foot of snow.
As the storm strengthens, winds will increase on Thursday night. Gusty winds will continue on Friday. Winds could get strong enough to down tree limbs and cause sporadic power outages from parts of New Jersey to Maine.

A few gusts can reach 50 mph in parts of New England by Friday midday.
Strong winds can lead to airline delays throughout the Interstate 95 corridor of the Northeast.
The combination of increasing winds and dry, powdery snow can lead to blizzard conditions in part of northern New England.
Cold air will quickly return to the region as the storm leaves on Friday. Snow showers can occur all the way to the mid-Atlantic coast.
In central and northern New England, any wet or slushy roads could turn icy by Friday evening as temperatures fall to or below freezing.