East Coast Storm May End Snow Drought in Some Cities

Philadelphia expected to end record run of 700-plus days without an inch of snow
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jan 5, 2024 1:02 PM CST
Weekend Storm May End Snow Drought for Big Cities
A roadway caution sign is seen on the New York Thruway on March 14, 2023, in Albany. A winter weather system moving through the US is expected to hit the East Coast this weekend.   (AP Photo/Hans Pennink, File)

Millions of people across the eastern US are preparing for a wintry mix of precipitation as a potent storm system looks to bring snow, freezing rain, and ice to the region. The system is expected to reach North Carolina by Saturday morning and then track along the northeastern coastline throughout the weekend. It could bring to Philadelphia and other major cities amounts of snow not seen in several years, per the AP. The heaviest snowfall is expected in regions including the Poconos in Pennsylvania, the mid-Hudson Valley, and portions of New England.

Elsewhere, the concern is ice—with up to a quarter of an inch forecast for parts of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said the city was preparing for the snowstorm but wasn't expecting it to be a major event, and the timing of the snow means it would likely have less of an impact on city life. Storm surges, often a problem with winter storms, were also not expected. A snowfall drought has been setting records across the eastern US—and this storm may end it in some cities. For the number of consecutive days with less than an inch of snow, Philadelphia reached 705 days through Friday—beating the prior record of 661 days that ended on Dec. 15, 1973.

New York City went 691 days through Friday, outstripping the prior record of 383 days that ended on March 21, 1998. Baltimore reached 707 days through Friday, a record, with a prior record of 672 days that ended on Dec. 25, 2012. "I think this storm's been a long time coming," said Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont. "It's been over two years since we've had a storm of this magnitude, 6 to 12 inches. We've got a lot of salt piled up here; it's been piling up for a while (and) some shiny new snow plows."

(More winter storm stories.)

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