After the coastal low that brought several inches of snow to much of the state pulls away, several more inches of snow will be possible, stretched out over a 2 to 3 day period.
Low pressure moving up into the Canadian Maritimes that was responsible for bringing the snowy day to much of the state today is now pulling away. However, several impulses will bring rounds of snow to the state the next few days, beginning with an upper level disturbance tonight, then one or two weak waves of low pressure near the coast.
For tonight, most of the snow will be in the first part of the night. However, there is a chance of a period of snow at just about any time. With snow-covered ground and temperatures below freezing, watch for these batches of snow that could cause icy spots on roadways. Low temperatures will generally range from the mid teens to the low 20s.
For tomorrow, there could very well be a lull in the snow, as snow showers from tonight's upper level low pull away and we await snow from the weak coastal low to arrive. If there is a lull, it would be centered around midday. But with moisture and some instability in place, there is still the chance of a rogue snow shower at any time. Temperatures will be at or below freezing all day, so any snow that falls with any intensity should stick.
For tomorrow night and Wednesday, periods of snow will be possible at just about any time, as a series of weak coastal waves pass to our south. Because of the position of these waves of low pressure, the highest accumulations will most likely be in the southern regions. It isn't going to be easy timing exactly when the greatest chance for steady snow will be, but right now, I'm thinking the highest chances for steady snow will be Tuesday evening and then again later Wednesday morning. There will likely be a period or two of moderate to heavy snow, and that could very well be where most of the accumulations come from. We are posting a snow map, with a general 2-4" for most of the state, with isolated 6" amounts in the southern part of the state. Keep in mind, these are accumulations from late tonight through Wednesday afternoon, and they are totals for the entire time period. It is not an easy forecast regarding timing of the snow, placement of the steadier and heavier snow, and since the atmosphere is relatively unstable, where any enhanced brief, but heavy snow bursts could set up. This will require a wait and see approach, and modifications could be necessary to the original snow map, depending on where these elements set up. As for temperatures, low temperatures Tuesday night should generally be in the low to mid 20s. High temperatures on Wednesday are tricky. In the upper levels, the air mass becomes a bit warmer, so if there is any sun, mid and upper 30s would be easily doable. However, if clouds and snow dominate, it could be significantly colder.
Longer Term: ...PREPARE FOR A SEVERE ARCTIC BLAST...
A severe Arctic blast is in the cards in the long term, over the long weekend. But first. for Thursday, most of the snow will be over and we will see the sun. However, the first of two Arctic cold fronts will pass through during the day. Some snow showers may accompany this frontal passage on Thursday- strongest toward the Litchfield Hills- and it wouldn't be surprising if a squall or two dropped a coating to an inch in the hills. Thursday's temperatures will be cooler, but nothing compared to what is waiting for us! Highs should be around 30, with lows around 20.
On Friday, the second (and stronger) of these Arctic fronts will pass through the area later in the day and at night. Winds will be fairly gusty behind the departing cold front Thursday night into early Friday. It will already be noticeably colder, with low temperatures 10-15 and highs in the middle 20s. But the weather over the weekend will be much colder than that!
Friday night into Saturday, an Alberta Clipper system will pass through the area. This will drag a cold front through that has air originating straight from the North Pole behind it! A map will be posted at the bottom of the disco to illustrate that point graphically. This clipper should bring a round of snow showers and squalls, and once again, some coating to one inch snowfall accumulations are possible. These accumulations may be a bit more widespread with this stronger frontal system. Keep in mind, with the type of cold air moving in, it won't take a whole lot of precipitation to produce an inch of snow! One note... there is a very small chance that this Alberta Clipper could produce more snow than what is being forecasted here. It is going to develop a second low offshore. Now, almost all guidance suggests this low remains too far offshore to impact the state with any meaningful precipitation, but I am just adding a note to the discussion to keep in mind in case this trends westward. As far as temperatures, temperatures will fall into the low teens Saturday morning. Temperatures may not rise more than a degree or two during the day! With the Polar Vortex (and the real Polar Vortex, not the mythical one the media talks about), near the state, a snow shower or squall cannot be ruled out at almost any time! In addition, winds gusting to 40 MPH at times could produce dangerously cold wind chills! On Sunday, chances are quite high that the entire state sees lows at or below zero degrees! High temperatures probably don't get out of the teens anywhere in the state either! With the Polar Vortex pulling away, there is no chance of precipitation on Sunday.
Temperatures moderate somewhat on Monday. A frigid morning with temperatures in the teens (and single digits in the normally colder spots), moderates into the 30-35 degree range by afternoon. Yet another Alberta Clipper system will be approaching on Monday, This system could have "help" from the southern stream, and turn it into a bigger system. However, at this juncture it is not certain that it will phase. However, it is probable that it will produce at least a period of steady light snow, with another Arctic shot (although not as strong as it predecessor) behind it.
The overall pattern in the long range does not show any signs of winter's demise, and it looks like the Groundhog should have stayed in his hole this year! There are storm threats every few days and Arctic air lurking nearby in Southern Canada (and a good stream of high pressure systems to help deliver the goods), it looks to stay wintry for a while! Keep in mind, every storm threat is not going to be a major snowstorm, but there are more snow threats on the horizon!
Now, here is our snow map for the upcoming few days. Keep in mind, this map covers late tonight through Wednesday afternoon, and is not predicting all of this to fall at once.
-GP