March Snowstorm

Well spring has been recalled from the East as winter is hopefully having its last hooray for this cold weather season. Two deadly severe weather outbreaks closed out February and began March that were more typical of mid-spring weather.  Just as the spring flowers began blooming and the trees began budding the weather pattern has switch to one that is allowing cold arctic air to flow into the East from Canada. Much below normal temperatures affected the Great Lakes and Northeast regions this weekend and that will set the stage for a late season snow storm. A clipper system will generate snow across the Midwest before transferring its energy to an East Coast snow storm that will intensify explosively.

Currently cold high pressure is in control of the local weather. High temps once again today only rose into the upper twenties (20's); nearly fifteen(15) degrees below a typical high for this time of the year.  After early morning flurries, skies cleared out for the afternoon. A clipper system is spreading snowfall through the upper Plains with some areas receiving more than eight inches of snow.

Tomorrow the clipper system will begin affecting the Great Lakes region with a general three to six inch (3"-6") snowfall. A different low pressure system will begin to organize off the Southeast Atlantic coast and move north just offshore . Locally temperatures will try to rise into the thirties (30's) before snow begins to fall during the late afternoon and evening hours. Overnight snow is likely for Northeast Ohio with two to four inches (2"-4") expected.

On Tuesday things will begin to get very interesting across the Eastern US. The clipper system will now be in the Ohio Valley and will begin to transfer its energy to the coastal storm system off the Mid-Atlantic Coast. As this occurs snowfall will expand in association with the coastal storm and the clipper snows will decrease. Off setting this locally will be the arrival of cold arctic air which will generate snowfall off the Great Lakes. On Wednesday the storm system will be moving into the Canadian Maritime leaving behind cold and blustery conditions. High temperatures are expected to stay in the twenties (20's) and lake effect snow will continue; Additional accumulations will be possible. High temperatures on Wednesday will be in the 20's.

Snowfall Monday through Tuesday evening will be at least four inches (4) for the area with some locations receiving ten inches (10") or more. The amounts will ultimately be dependent on the track of the low pressure, when the energy transfer occurs and the location and amount of lake effect snow. Stay tuned to the latest forecast for snowfall amounts.

On Thursday conditions will quiet down as temperatures attempt to approach the freezing mark. High pressure will be in control and is expected to lead to dry conditions. On Friday return southerly flow is expected to allow temperatures to approach forty (40).

On Saturday a storm system of Pacific origins is expected to cross through the area before sunrise. It will bring with it a chance of rain and or snow showers with high temperatures near forty (40).