Snow outlook with heavy lake effect for the Appalachians and inland New England

As a strong cold front moves east Thursday, dangerous wintry weather is possible across parts of the Great Lakes region, New England and the Appalachians, according to National Weather Service (NWS).

Areas downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario are expected to experience intense periods of lake-effect snow Friday night, continuing into Saturday, with snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour.

“The Appalachians and interior New England have a 60-80 percent chance of seeing a snowfall before the event ends over the next day or two,” said the NWS in its update at 15 A.M.

Forecasters warned travelers that winter weather could cause dangerous snow-covered roads and low visibility.

Widespread strong gusts of up to 60 mph will continue through Thursday evening for parts of the Central Appalachians, mid-Atlantic and Northeast, and could cause power outages, downed trees and hazardous driving.

Isolated snow showers are also possible for northern New England through this evening.

Warnings and advice

Parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast regions are under winter storm watches and warnings for the next few days, NWS meteorologists said.

Blizzard warnings have been issued for the mountains in West Virginia up to and including Friday and northwestern Pennsylvania through Saturday.

Winter storm warnings have been issued through Friday parts of Indiana, Maine, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont.

A winter weather advisory has been issued through Thursday and Friday for parts of Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.

Lake-effect snow warnings are also in effect through Friday and Saturday too parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.

Lake-effect snow occurs when cold air driven by the wind flows over warmer lakes. In the case of this winter storm, the Great Lakes has experienced record heat.

Frost degrees

Bitter cold continues in parts of the US this week. According to the latest short-term forecast“wind chills could drop into the low teens across the Appalachian Mountains from West Virginia to New Hampshire with valleys seeing wind chills in the single digits and teens across most of the East.”