3/29 technical discussion

Synopsis

 

Over Mid-Atlantic region there currently is an area of high pressure sitting over the general region, bringing in cooler temperatures and some scattered clouds. As the week progresses a shortwave  will  bring scattered rain and snow showers.  Through the later part the week, a low pressure system moving along the coast could intensify into a Nor'easter which could possibly bring large amounts of snow and rain to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions.  As the weekend approaches some colder temperatures could move in with a trough digging into Virginia.

 

Short-term ( Wednesday into Thursday Night)

 

As the middle of the week approaches, a shortwave associated with a weak trough will move through the Mid-Atlantic bringing increasing cloud cover and chances of rain, snow and mixed precipitation due to Positive Vorticity Advection.  Wednesday night the shortwave will move out and some clearing of clouds could take place with few lingering snow/rain showers possible.  As Thursday approaches, clouds will start to increase with an approaching coastal cold front. The track for this storm is not quite certain yet, but current models are suggesting tracks for the storm that would allow for up to 18 inches of snow to be dropped at various locations depending if the storm takes more of a coastal track or seaward track.

 

Long-term ( Thursday Night to Monday)

 

 

The approaching coastal low pressure system will likely move through the area sometime Thursday evening into Friday morning, causing problems for the Friday morning rush hour.  This storm will likely lay down a layer of snow showers through some areas and then change over to rain showers closer to the coastal regions.  The coastal low pressure system will move into the Northeast sometime late Friday afternoon into Friday evening. Behind this coastal low, 1000-500 mb thicknesses will start to decrease greatly bringing in much colder temperatures to the Mid-Atlantic. Some leftover snow showers could hang around on Saturday as a 500 mb trough moves over the eastern seaboard. There could be a brief clearing in skies over the later part of the weekend before the next storm moves through.