Winter Storm Orlena will pound parts of the Midwest, including Chicago, this weekend, then evolve into a nor'easter with heavy snow possible in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
This latest in the recent winter storm parade already wrung out feet of snow in California's Sierra and other parts of the West and now has a second chapter in store for tens of millions in the Midwest and Northeast through Tuesday.
This system has been named Winter Storm Orlena by The Weather Channel.
Forecast Timing
Saturday
Orlena will arrive in the upper Midwest Saturday and will meet up with cold air to produce snow from Minnesota southeastward into Indiana and southwestern Ohio.
Snow will become heavy by late afternoon or evening from eastern Iowa, southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois into into northern Indiana and Ohio.
Gusty winds will also develop by Saturday night in these areas of heavier Midwest snow.
Saturday night, snow. possibly mixed with sleet or freezing rain will spread into the Appalachians and adjacent piedmont as far south as northern and western North Carolina.
Sunday
Snow will continue Sunday in the southern Great Lakes, intensify in the Mid-Atlantic states, but taper off in the upper Midwest.
There remains some uncertainty regarding where the snow/ice/rain lines will set up Sunday east of the Appalachians, so some areas with snow in the forecast may see some sleet or freezing rain mix in, at times.
Sleet or freezing rain early may change to rain or simply end in parts of southern Virginia into northern and western North Carolina.
Sunday night, snow may creep north in the Mid-Atlantic states toward the New York City Tri-state. However, some lingering dry air may keep most of southern New England dry for the time being.
Snow will expand Sunday night in the Ohio Valley, extending as far south as Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Smoky Mountains, while coming to an end across the Upper Midwest.
Monday
This will likely be the peak day of the storm in the Northeast. But, there are still some lingering, key uncertainties in the forecast.
One significant uncertainty is the exact track of a secondary area of low pressure that will form near or off the Northeast coast Monday. What track the low takes will determine such details as how far inland snow falls, where the heaviest snow falls, and whether rain occurs at the coast.
There may also be a tongue of dry air several thousand feet above the ground known to meteorologists as the "dry slot", that could take away at least a few hours of heavier precipitation wherever it tracks.
For now, snow, likely heavy, is expected Monday from southern New England to the Mid-Atlantic states. Lingering snow is expected in parts of the Ohio Valley and the Appalachians.
Monday night, that heavier snow is expected to spread farther north into New England, but may continue in parts of the Mid-Atlantic states.
Strong winds will also buffet the Northeast coast Monday and Monday night. We'll discuss more of that in the impacts section below.
Tuesday
The best chance of snow continuing into Groundhog Day will be in New England, however some snow may linger a bit farther west in parts of upstate or central New York.
Some lingering snow showers and areas of lake-enhanced snow can't be ruled out in the eastern Great Lakes and Appalachians, as well.
Snow could linger in these areas Tuesday night or even Wednesday.
How Much Snow?
At least 6 inches of snow is most probable in a swath from eastern Iowa, southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois into Indiana and Ohio.This includes the Chicagoland and Milwaukee metro areas, where winds off Lake Michigan may enhance the snowfall.
A few locations in this Iowa to Ohio zone could measure up to a foot of snow.
Some blowing and drifting snow is possible as winds increase Saturday night into Sunday, particularly in rural areas and near the shores of the Great Lakes.
Winter Storm Orlena Hammered the Sierra, Midwest and Northeast With Heavy Snow (RECAP) | The Weather Channel
This storm had quite an odyssey, from the mountains of the West to Maine. - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com
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