THE HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER

CAMP SPRINGS, MD


STORM SUMMARY MESSAGE



STORM SUMMARY NUMBER 4 FOR AUTUMN MID-ATLANTIC TO NORTHEAST U.S.
MAJOR WINTER STORM
NWS HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER CAMP SPRINGS MD
1100 PM EDT FRI OCT 28 2011
 
...A RARE OCTOBER WINTER STORM FOR THE INTERIOR MID-ATLANTIC AND
NORTHEASTERN STATES IS TAKING SHAPE FOR LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND INTO
SATURDAY.  HEAVY WET SNOW...FALLING ON TREES WITH REMAINING
FOLIAGE...COULD LEAD TO MANY DOWNED TREE BRANCHES AND POWER
OUTAGES...               
 
WINTER STORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FROM NORTHWESTERN
VIRGINIA AND EXTENDING THROUGH MUCH OF NEW ENGLAND AND INTO
CENTRAL MAINE.  WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR PARTS
OF THE EASTERN MID-ATLANTIC...AND PARTS OF WESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA...WESTERN NEW YORK...WEST VIRGINIA.
 
FOR A DETAILED GRAPHICAL DEPICTION OF THE LATEST
WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES...PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV

AT 1030 PM EDT...A STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDED EASTWARD FROM
SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA...WITH A DEVELOPING SURFACE LOW IN EASTERN
GEORGIA.  UNSEASONABLY COLD AIR CONTINUES TO POUR INTO THE
MID-ATLANTIC AND NORTHEASTERN U.S.  AT THE SAME TIME...PLENTY OF
MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO LIFT NORTHWARD LATER FRIDAY NIGHT AND INTO
SATURDAY ALONG THE EAST COAST AND FUEL AN EXPANDING AREA OF
MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN AND INLAND SNOW.

THE SURFACE LOW OVER GEORGIA IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP FURTHER NEAR
THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST BY EARLY SATURDAY...AND THEN PROCEED
NORTHEASTWARD NEAR THE NEW ENGLAND COAST BY LATE SATURDAY NIGHT. 
LIGHT PRECIPITATION HAS SPREAD OVER MOST OF THE MID-ATLANTIC
STATES AND HAS REACHED AS FAR NORTH AS LONG ISLAND.  THE
PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AND HEAVIER BY
SATURDAY MORNING...WITH RAIN CONTINUING OVER MOST OF THE
MID-ATLANTIC AND SNOW DEVELOPING ACROSS MUCH OF THE HIGHER TERRAIN
OF THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS.  AROUND THE SAME TIME...AS COLDER AIR
WORKS INTO THE REGION...THE SNOW WILL SPREAD TO LOWER
ELEVATIONS...WITH ACCUMULATING SNOW POSSIBLE NORTHWEST OF THE I-95
CORRIDOR...FROM WASHINGTON D.C. TO NEW YORK CITY.  SNOW SHOULD
SPREAD INTO NEW ENGLAND LATE SATURDAY.  TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF
4 TO 8 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE FROM THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF VIRGINIA AND
WEST VIRGINIA NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND INTO
SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND.  THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 6 TO 10
INCHES ARE FORECAST TO FALL IN A BAND FROM EXTREME NORTHERN
MARYLAND NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH NORTHERN NEW JERSEY AND INTO
WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS.  LIGHTER SLUSHY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE
POSSIBLE FOR THE MAJOR CITIES OF THE MID-ATLANTIC AND
NORTHEAST...INCLUDING WASHINGTON
D.C...BALTIMORE...PHILADELPHIA...NEW YORK CITY...AND BOSTON.  SOME
UNCERTAINTY REMAINS AS TO THE EXACT TRACK OF THE SURFACE
LOW...WHICH WILL DETERMINE EXACTLY WHERE THE HEAVIEST SNOW FALLS. 
HEAVY WET SNOWS ACCUMULATING ON TREES THAT HAVE NOT YET LOST
LEAVES MAY LEAD TO DOWNED TREE BRANCHES AND POWER OUTAGES.  PLEASE
REFER TO PRODUCTS FROM YOUR LOCAL WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE FOR
DETAILS SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA.

THE NEXT STORM SUMMARY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL
PREDICTION CENTER AT 500 AM EDT.  PLEASE REFER TO YOUR LOCAL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS
EVENT.

HAMRICK




Last Updated: 1048 PM EDT FRI OCT 28 2011