Accumulation, Timing Details For Weekend Winter Storm In PA Released

Forecasters have released their initial estimates for snowfall accumulation for the upcoming weekend winter weather event.

The National Weather Service, in a Thursday afternoon briefing, predicts Eastern Pennsylvania will get between 1 and 2 inches of snow, and up to a quarter inch of ice.

Ice will be the primary threat of this storm, forecasters said. Precipitation could begin as snow as early as Saturday afternoon, but more likely will start into the night. Snow will change to a wintry mix overnight Saturday into Sunday, leading to icy roads and hazardous travel, the National Weather Service said.

The National Weather Service noted in its briefing that the forecast "remains uncertain in regards to timing of precipitation types and exact amounts."

This next round of winter weather comes after a winter storm dropped ice and freezing rain on Eastern Pennsylvania Thursday morning, closing schools and canceling flights.

Forecasters say conditions will dry out Thursday night and remain dry through Friday, but several rounds of winter weather — what AccuWeather is calling a "parade of storms" — are expected in the coming days.

Meanwhile, another system is poised to move into the region next week, likely Tuesday or Wednesday. That system could have accumulating snow, The Weather Channel is forecasting, however specific details are forthcoming.

"The storm this weekend is just the next in a series of storms that is part of the pattern change that began late last week," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg said.

Accumulating snow is possible during the storm next week, forecasters said. "From late Monday into Wednesday, a storm will originate in Texas and move to the mid-Atlantic coast, with a larger swath of snow and ice to the north of its path, and the potential of heavy rain and severe weather across the South into the Southeast," Lundberg warned.

Check back to Patch for more details:

Here's the local forecast:

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 39. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Friday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Saturday: A slight chance of snow after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Saturday night: Rain, snow, and freezing rain before 1am, then freezing rain between 1am and 4am, then rain after 4am. Low around 27. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New ice accumulation of 0.1 to 0.2 of an inch possible. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.

Sunday: Rain before 7am. High near 39. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 21.

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 35.

Monday night: A chance of snow after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tuesday: Snow likely, mainly after 1 pm. Cloudy, with a high near 35. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday night: Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 25. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Wednesday: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday night: A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 28. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Thursday: Rain and snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. Chance of precipitation is 60%.