Dec. 5, 2003 — Cold temperatures and wintry precipitation fell from the Ohio Valley and North Carolina up the East Coast into Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York ushering in the start of meteorological winter, which began this week on December 1. The forecast for the next 24 hours promises to bring more of the same. NOAA National Weather Service forecasters are working long shifts as the first of a one-two punch affects the East Coast. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of the storm that brought freezing rain, sleet and snow to parts of the eastern USA taken at 1:31 p.m. EST on Dec. 4, 2003. Please credit “NOAA.”)

From Tuesday and into Friday, an early winter storm spread a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain from the Central Plains to the mid-Atlantic states. The storm left a blanket of 3 to 6 inches of snow from Iowa to the Ohio Valley, then intensified just off the East Coast bringing a mixture of freezing rain and sleet to western portions of North Carolina and Virginia. Washington, D.C., received only light snow before changing over to rain. Up to 8 inches of snow fell in the western and northern suburbs of Washington, D.C., and also in and around the Baltimore and Philadelphia metropolitan areas. A second storm is moving from the Midwest and will intensify along the East Coast resulting in strong northeasterly winds from Maryland through southern New England on Saturday and Sunday as another round of heavy snow envelopes the area.

Heavy snow will spread into southeastern New York and southern New England, including New York City and Long Island, Friday night with a mixture of sleet and rain along the coast of southern Massachusetts. Snow accumulations as high as one to two feet are possible over the eastern slopes of the Berkshires and portions of northern Connecticut. Six inches or more are expected over portions of southeastern New York and a good portion of southern New England, including the New York City and Boston metropolitan areas. Farther south, accumulations of up to 3 to 6 inches are possible Friday night in the Philadelphia and Washington D.C., areas.

Winter storm warnings are in effect from Virginia and West Virginia northeastward into southern New England. Winter Storm Watches are in effect over much of the rest of New England.

“The first major East Coast storm of the season is always a dose of reality that winter is, indeed, back,” said James Hoke, director of the NOAA Hydrometeorological Prediction Center.

“Winter storms like this one are the result of a mix of cold arctic air from Canada, warm, moist air from the South and the Atlantic and a source of energy from the jet stream arriving at just the right places and times to produce a storm,” said Ed O’Lenic, chief of the Operations Branch of the NOAA Climate Prediction Center.

Last month, the NOAA Climate Prediction Center issued a winter outlook update for the nation. The outlook predicted relatively warm temperatures for the South and West, and possibly quite variable conditions in the East.

NOAA reminds everyone to always stay abreast of current weather conditions in your local area via the NOAA National Weather Service Web site, NOAA Weather Radio or broadcast media outlets. NOAA also provides winter weather safety materials online.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation’s coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA Storm Watch — Get the latest severe weather information across the USA

NOAA Local Weather Forecast and Information

NOAA Hydrometeorological Prediction Center — National Weather

NOAA Weather Safety

NOAA Issues Winter Outlook Update

NOAA Satellite Images — The latest satellite views

NOAA Satellite Images of Current Events

Colorized Satellite Images

NOAA 3-D Satellite Images

Media Contact:
Carmeyia Gillis, NOAA Climate Prediction Center, (301) 763-8000 ext. 7163