NEW: Weekend Storm Heading For RI—More Snow Possible

Thursday, February 21, 2013

John Ghiorse, GoLocalProv Meteorologist

Another weekend is upon us and yet another storm is looming on the horizon. For the third weekend in a row we are facing what appears to be a significant storm. Of course, like the last two it will have a character all of its own … the past two acted totally different from one another and this one will be no exception.

However, the three storms do have one thing in common. The first two storms formed off the Mid-Atlantic coast and eventually intensified into major northeasters as they moved by our area. This one likely will do the same thing.

What to expect this weekend

That’s where the similarities may end. While the first two were primarily snowstorms, this one has a chance to be more of a mixed bag. There is no strong, arctic cold high pressure center to our north set to feed super cold air into the system. Instead the cold air is rather garden variety, enough to produce snow for part of the area but probably not in sufficient supply to guarantee snow for all of us throughout the storm.

Right now it looks like the precipitation should begin as snow Saturday afternoon or evening but likely will mix with or change to sleet then rain over much of the area from Providence south and east toward the coast. Areas having the greatest chance of staying all snow will be north of the Mass Pike including Worcester and the northwest suburbs of Boston. In those areas where there is rain or mixed precipitation it will tend to go back to all snow as the storm winds down and the colder air returns later Sunday afternoon.

Up to 12 inches

Where the storm stays all snow from the get-go there could be from 6”-12” accumulation. Elsewhere it, of course, it depends on how much rain and sleet are involved. Obviously that’s nearly impossible to calculate at this point in time. It is also possible that the storm center could slide slightly farther south and east of New England. If that happens then there would be less rain and sleet, and snow accumulations would be greater in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts. New data coming in over the next couple of days should give us a much better idea what to expect.

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