Heavy, Wet Snowstorm Targeting Central PA Overnight Saturday Through Sunday

After a very warm first few weeks of March, it is becoming apparent that our area will be dealing with a late-season snowstorm this weekend. A coastal storm will be coming up the East Coast Saturday, spreading precipitation into our area before sunrise Sunday Morning.

There is the chance the precip starts off as light rain, but once the intensity picks up, the will help cool the column and deliver with it a heavy and wet snowfall. The heaviest of the snow will arrive after noon Sunday and last through the evening hours. All precip should exit the area by Midnight Monday.

So we know there will be a storm...the question is how much snow will accumulate. There is a MASSIVE difference between snow falling and snow accumulating. Unfortunately, for snow lovers, the timing is not the best. Having the bulk of the snow fall during the daylight hours of Sunday, this will help limit the snowfall accumulations to some degree. However, if the snow falls fast enough, it will be able to accumulate without a problem. For example, you may measure 3 inches of snow 2PM Sunday, it continues to snow for the next few hours, you go out to measure at 6 PM, and you measure 3 inches again. This results from snow falling, but not rapidly enough to accumulate...again why I stress the difference between snow falling and snow accumulating.

Latest GFS:

GFS is the least aggressive with how close the coastal storm hugs the coast, however it still overspreads snow into our area and delivers light to moderate accumulations. A far cry from what the CMC and Euro are printing out.

Latest Canadian (CMC):

The Canadian is the closest to the coast with the coastal storm. This would deliver a major wet snowstorm to our area, with mixing issues nearing our area.

Latest Euro: The latest Euro is in between the GFS and CMC, but it still delivers a major, wet snowstorm to our area, although the mixing issues remain South and East of I-95.

My thoughts:

REGION A- Accumulating snow possible...mixing issues likely.

REGION B- Greatest threat for accumulating snow, perhaps significant. Will have to watch out for isolated power outages due to the weight of the snow on power-lines and tree limbs. Mixing issues possible.

Region C- All snow. Few inches possible. Too far away from the surface low to get in on the more significant accumulations.

Keep it here to my Facebook Page for the latest..should be an interesting storm to track>>>>Dauphin County Weather Facebook Page!

-Chris