winter and severe wx hazards

[WXBUFFJIM]

Good morning everyone. Some winter and severe weather hazards due to wind and heavy precipitation in many spots across the country.

The first spot to head is the Pacific northwest where a strong storm system is plowing in as we speak. Storm warnings are in effect for the Oregon coast this morning where winds will be sustained at 60 mph with gusts to 80 mph along the coastal areas. Seas 20-25 feet. A high wind warning is of course out for coastal sections where gusts to 70 mph are expected along the Oregon and Washington coast today. Hurricane force gusts are likely in the mountain passes in the Pacific northwest. That wind combined with falling snow will create blizzard conditions in the mountains of the Pacific northwest. Snow amounts today in the cascades will likely reach 6-12 inches.


Meanwhile there is alot to talk about in the eastern United States as well as a low pressure system develops rapidly over northern West Virginia and into western Pennsylvania. By tomorrow morning, pressures will likely drop below 29.00 inches at the core of this low pressure system. As this thing deepens today through tomorrow, it will get more windy as time goes on for the northeast and middle atlantic states. It's already winds along this trailing cold front, which is sharpening up quite a bit. So much so, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson Airport has just experienced a sustained wind of 33mph with gusts to 43 mph. It's just 51 degrees in Atlanta after being near 60 last hour. Definitely some huge changes.

That trailing cold front will be the focus for showers and a possible narrow line of severe convection later today from Washington DC and Baltimore south and east through the Delmarva Peninsula and the eastern Carolinas too. Biggest severe threat is damaging gusts along the front. Behind the front the temperature drops from 60-65 degrees in DC and Baltimore today down to the mid 40s on Saturday. Also before the precip ends, rain could mix with sleet or wet snowflakes down to DC, Baltimore, Philly, and New York City. But the traveling hazards due to snow will be mainly occurring over the lake effect favored areas tonight through Saturday as heavy lake effect snows develop aided by strong northwest winds and colder air overtop of warmer lake waters. This is the time of year we typically see lake effect snow. 6-12 inches of snow is possible in lake effect favored areas tonight through Saturday. Wind gusts of 50-60 mph is possible in the Great Lakes region. Meanwhile the major cities of DC through Boston could see gusts 45-50mph easily occur Saturday morning especially. Definitely something to watch. Small craft advisories are in effect for the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays. However wind gusts to gale force are quite likely and a wind advisory is not impossible in these areas either.

More updates on this later. Once again Atlanta Hartsfield just had sustained west winds at 33 mph with gusts to 43 mph. Some gusts could easily go above 60 mph in the narrow frontal rainband along the mid atlantic coast later today. Busy times ahead.

Jim