Weather

As the coastal portion of a large storm strengthens, an area of heavy and wet snow is forecast to intensify from the upper Mid-Atlantic Coast to southeastern New England on Wednesday. Snowfall from near Baltimore to New York City and Boston will vary significantly from urban to suburban locations, as snow in most urban areas will tend to melt on paved surfaces. In the northern area of snowfall, most roads will be wet because the snow will not fall fast enough to cool road surfaces. Farther west, intense areas of snow over the central Appalachians and moderate snow over the Ohio Valley will diminish gradually as the storm weakens. To the south, rain will fall over from the lower Chesapeake Bay Area to much of the Carolinas.

Chilly air will move into the Midwest and the Southeast States. Most areas from the Deep South to the Plains can expect dry weather and sunshine.

A major storm will affect the Pacific Coast. Heavy rain is likely to bring some drought relief to California and Oregon while also causing flash flooding and mudslides. Snowfall will be restricted to the highest elevations of the Sierra Nevada, which may increase the chance of stream flooding at intermediate elevations.

Focus: Northeast Snowstorm on Wednesday

Moderate to heavy snow will continue to fall across areas of the Northeast into Wednesday night as a storm strengthens just off the coast. Those planning on traveling between Washington, D.C., and Boston should be prepared for significant delays.