BOSTON — A powerful, windswept nor’easter is headed to the Northeast to kick off the volatile month of March. Damaging winds, moderate to major coastal flooding, rain and snowfall are in the mix, CBS Boston reports.
For the first time since a blizzard hit the region in early January, New England will see “bombogenesis” — signifying an intense and rapidly deepening storm.
In Pennsylvania, heavy rain, high wind and even some whiteout snow conditions are expected in the coming days. The National Weather Service says communities from Pittsburgh east to Philadelphia and the Poconos will be affected.
High winds and flood watches have been issued around New Jersey.
Here’s how the storm looks as of Thursday morning:
Rainfall
The storm has the potential to produce a drenching, flooding rainfall for a good portion of southern New England, where late Friday morning through Friday evening, the rain will come down in torrents. A widespread 1-3 inches of rain is likely in many areas, causing severe street flooding. Some rivers may also approach or crest over their banks on Friday and in the days following.
In Pennsylvania, rain will start Thursday afternoon in most places and is expected to get heavier overnight. On Friday afternoon, the storm will usher in high winds, with gusts of up to 60 mph near Lancaster, and up to 50 mph in suburban Philadelphia and Allentown. Rain could turn to snow in parts of the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos, causing whiteout conditions with the high winds.
Pittsburgh is also under a flood advisory, and the same storm is expected to bring heavy rain and high winds to a swath of western Pennsylvania from Thursday and into the weekend.
On Saturday, flooding is the big concern along the coasts.
High winds and flood watches have been issued around New Jersey, where most rains will begin Thursday afternoon, getting heavier in the evening. The storm will then usher in a wet and windy Friday, with gusts of up to 60 mph in Jersey Shore communities. Warning signs are posted at Wildwood beaches and some residents are already boarding up their homes there.
Power outages are also a concern for coastal areas. The National Weather Service says flooding is possible Saturday. Waves of up to 12 feet are in the forecast at the shore in New Jersey. Officials say Thursday’s dry morning and afternoon hours are a good time for folks to get supplies and batten down the hatches.
Snowfall
Snowfall is the biggest wildcard in the storm for some areas. In at least parts of New England, the first half of the storm will almost certainly be rain, followed by colder air Friday evening and overnight, changing the rain to a heavy, wet snow.
In Massachusetts, snowfall in the hills of Worcester and in the Berkshires could easily top 6 inches before tapering off Saturday morning. Several inches are possible in the eastern part of the state Friday night. With the heavy, wet nature of the snow combined with strong winds, power outages may become a big issue.
Winds
The storm will become an absolute monster southeast of Nantucket on Friday and only slowly pull away farther to the southeast on Saturday. There will be a large and powerful wind field, extending out several hundred miles from the storm’s center.
Cape Cod and the Islands, as well as Cape Ann, are at greatest risk for widespread, damaging winds, ranging as high as 55-80 mph Friday and Saturday. The rest of eastern Massachusetts will see winds gusting 35-55 mph, enough to cause tree and property damage and cause some power outages.
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