By Tiffany Williams –
A blast of dangerous Arctic cold grips the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic on Saturday before a powerful winter storm barrels in late Saturday night and Sunday, spreading heavy snow, strong winds, and treacherous travel from New England to Pennsylvania.
Saturday is brutally cold across the region, with highs in the single digits and teens and wind chills plunging well below zero. Boston tops out near 14 with wind chills as low as minus 13, while Worcester, Manchester, and Albany struggle to reach the low teens. Northern New England is hit hardest, with Berlin, New Hampshire seeing wind chills as low as minus 34 and Bangor dropping to minus 28. New York City, Newark, and Philadelphia remain cold as well, with highs near 19 to 20 and biting northwest winds.
Snow spreads in from south to north late Saturday night into Sunday and intensifies quickly. Boston, Worcester, Fitchburg, Springfield, Hartford, Manchester, and much of interior New England face widespread heavy snow Sunday afternoon through Sunday night, with many areas seeing totals well over a foot by Monday. Coastal southern New England, including New Haven and Bridgeport, could see 10 inches or more. Portland, Maine is forecast to pick up heavy snow Sunday night into Monday, while Bangor sees accumulating snow late Sunday night into Monday.
The storm expands south and west into New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, with New York City, Newark, and Philadelphia facing heavy snow mixed with sleet or freezing rain, especially in southeastern Pennsylvania. Gusty northeast winds and snowfall rates heavy at times will make travel extremely difficult Sunday into early Monday. Snow gradually tapers off Monday, but bitter cold lingers, keeping roads icy and conditions hazardous well into the start of the week.