Ice, Snow, Rain Forecast for New York, Northeast in Latest Winter Storm

Another winter storm will move into New York and the U.S. Northeast later today bringing snow, ice and possibly rain before it ends the day after tomorrow, according to forecasters.
A large system covering a large part of the U.S. from the Atlantic coast to the Rocky Mountains will sweep eastward bringing a mix of winter weather. It probably won’t bring another round of heavy snow to New York and Philadelphia, said Mike Pigott, a meteorologist with private-forecaster AccuWeather Inc. in State College, Pennsylvania.
“This is going to be a long duration storm,” Pigott said. “There will be an extended period Tuesday into Tuesday night of snow, sleet and freezing rain and the the roads could be on the icy side.”
New York and much of the U.S. Northeast has been hit with heavier-than-normal snowfall since the season began. Since Dec. 1, New York’s Central Park has received 56.1 inches (142.5 centimeters) of snow, making this the sixth snowiest season on record, according to National Weather Service records.
The snowiest was 1995-96 when 75.6 inches fell in Central Park, according to the weather service.
Since Jan. 1, 36 inches of snow have fallen in Central Park, or 28.2 inches above normal, according to the service. The snowiest single month was February 2010 when 36.9 inches fell.
With all the snow on the ground across the Northeast, the storm may create flooding problems if it produces mostly rain, Pigott said.
‘Flooding Issues’
“We have to worry about rain, if we get a lot of rain with this, think about all that snow out there, there will be flooding issues,” Pigott said.
By the day after tomorrow, the storm may be producing rain throughout New York.
Winter storm warnings, watches and winter storm advisories stretch from New Jersey’s Atlantic coast to the Colorado Rocky Mountains, according to the weather service.
Pigott said the storm is growing out of a collision of Arctic air from the north with warm, moist air from the south over the central part of the U.S. By later today the center of the storm will be in Texas, he said.
Areas north of New York may receive more snow than rain and ice from this storm, Pigott said. Boston may receive more snow, as well as the ski areas of Vermont and New Hampshire. The determining factor will be when the snow changes to sleet and rain, he said.
The weather service’s Hydrometeorological Prediction Center gives a greater than 95 percent chance at least 4 inches of snow will fall across parts of northern New York State, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine by Feb. 3. There is a between 80 to 90 percent chance at least 8 inches will fall in the same area, according to the center.
Northern Massachusetts has a between 70 to 80 percent chance for at least 4 inches and a 40 to 50 percent chance of 8 inches, according to the center in Camp Springs, Maryland.