A powerful winter storm is expected to intensify off the East Coast this weekend, bringing renewed cold-weather concerns for the Northeast as snow, strong winds, and coastal flooding target parts of the region.
The system, named Winter Storm Gianna, is forecast to develop into a strong nor’easter and possibly a bomb cyclone as it tracks northward along the Atlantic coastline. While the heaviest snowfall is expected well to the south and in coastal New England, forecasters say the Northeast remains in line for bitter cold, gusty winds and the potential for disruptive winter conditions, particularly later Saturday into Sunday.
Snow associated with the storm is expected to spread northward overnight Saturday as the offshore low strengthens. By early Sunday, parts of the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England could see periods of snow before conditions improve farther south. Forecasters say snow may end by midday Sunday from the Delmarva Peninsula southward, but colder air spilling in behind the storm will reinforce wintry conditions across the Northeast.
The greatest snowfall totals in the Northeast are expected in eastern New England, where heavy snow could impact coastal areas that were already hit hard by last weekend’s Winter Storm Fern. There remains uncertainty over how far inland heavier snow bands may reach, including whether significant snowfall could extend into Boston or remain confined to Cape Cod and nearby islands.
Even where snow totals are lighter, strong winds are expected to be a major concern. Forecasters warn that gusty northeast winds could lead to scattered power outages and isolated tree damage across parts of the Northeast, particularly in exposed coastal and higher-elevation areas. Winds may linger into Sunday night in eastern New England before the storm gradually pulls away.
Coastal flooding is also a growing concern. High tides combined with strong onshore winds could lead to minor to moderate coastal flooding along portions of the East Coast from the Mid-Atlantic through New England, including parts of the Northeast shoreline. The extent of flooding will depend on the storm’s final track and intensity, which forecasters say is still being refined.
Meteorologists are increasingly confident the storm will rapidly intensify offshore, meeting the criteria of a bomb cyclone, a term used when a storm’s central pressure drops sharply in a short time. Such storms are not uncommon during winter but can significantly amplify wind and cold impacts inland.
Source: The Weather Channel