Storm coats Northeast, as South braces for possible twisters

Snow and ice continue to produce widespread travel delays from New York to Michigan as an Alberta clipper moves from the Great Lakes into the Northeast. But forecasters warn that warm, moist air surging off the Gulf Coast this weekend will raise temperatures and may give birth to volatile storms with damaging winds, hail and a few tornadoes. 

The heaviest snow will accrue across Maine where an additional 6 to 10 inches may fall by Wednesday. Heavy snow will reduce visibility, making travel difficult and temperatures will remain well below freezing.

Three to six inches of snow is possible from Boston to Hartford, Conn. Tuesday night. Temperatures are significantly below normal across the two cities. Boston had a high of 28 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday when the normal temperature would be 41. In Hartford, temperatures are 15 degrees below normal with a high of 25 predicted for Wednesday.

Most areas hit by the clipper will receive one to three inches of snow. This includes New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Travel along the New York State Thruway, I-80, I-95 and I-81 will be affected Tuesday evening. Roads will be wet and slick, so travelers are urged to slow down and expect delays given roads will be cold enough for some snow to stick and create icy spots.

The winter solstice officially begins Saturday and 44 percent of the country is already covered in snow.

But this weekend, record-challenging warmth, mostly situated in the 60s and 70s will hit areas from New York City to Raleigh. In New York City temperatures will climb to 59 on Sunday - the record is 63 - set back in 1998. In Philadelphia, temperatures will climb to 60 - their record is 64 - also set back in 1998. Temperatures will be in the low to mid 60s from Washington, D.C. to Pittsburgh.

Temperature records could be shattered in Nashville and Charlotte Sunday as temperatures are expected to climb three degrees shy of 80 Sunday in Raleigh. The record for that day was set back in 1967 when the day time high rose to 75 degrees. In Charlotte, temperatures will rise just one degree above the all-time record of 73. Temperatures have not exceeded 72 on December 22nd since 1889. 

All of this warmth will create instability in the atmosphere and likely causing severe thunderstorms from far eastern Texas to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and western Georgia. The primary threat with these storms will be damaging winds greater than 60 miles per hour. Winds this speed are capable of knocking down trees and power lines, resulting in power outages. There may also be a few large, isolated tornadoes. 

Further north, from northeastern Texas to Arkansas, Missouri, southern Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, western Kentucky, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, New York, Maryland, Connecticut and Massachusetts, blinding rainfall will disrupt travel on the roadways and at the airports.

The snow will also paint roadways across central Missouri northern Illinois and Indiana, Ohio, northeastern Pennsylvania and parts of the New York State thruway with a slushy mixture that will certainly cause treacherous travel conditions.

A band of snow will form on the northern periphery of the icy band and a swath of snow will fall from central Oklahoma to Missouri, Illinois and southeastern Michigan. Around two to four inches of snow is expected.Snow and ice continue to produce widespread travel delays from New York to Michigan as an Alberta clipper moves from the Great Lakes into the Northeast.

The snow arrives just days after a potent winter storm dumped 17 inches of snow on parts of New England over the weekend.

The heaviest snow will accrue across Maine where an additional 6 to 10 inches may fall by Wednesday. Heavy snow will reduce visibility, making travel difficult and temperatures will remain well below freezing.

Three to six inches of snow is possible from Boston to Hartford, Conn. Tuesday night. Temperatures are significantly below normal across the two cities. Boston had a high of 28 degrees Tuesday when the normal temperature would be 41. In Hartford, temperatures are 15 degrees below normal with a high of 25 predicted for Wednesday.

Most areas hit by the clipper will receive one to three inches of snow. This includes New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Travel along the New York State Thruway, I-80, I-95, and I-81 will be affected Tuesday afternoon and evening. Roads will be wet and slick so travelers are urged to slow down and expect delays given roads will be cold enough for some snow to stick and create icy spots.

Most of the snow falling across the northeast and mid-Atlantic is welcomed, given many counties across Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and West Virginia have been abnormally dry for this time of the year.

The winter solstice officially begins Saturday and 44 percent of the country is already covered in snow.