BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Remember those recent predictions for a cold and snowy December?
It turns out forecasters might have been on to something.
The Lehigh Valley appears to have a shot at its first accumulating snowfall next week — roughly 19 days before the official start of winter.
But as with the potential for any snowstorm comes the caveat: there is a large amount of uncertainty regarding details, the National Weather Service warned Friday.
Coastal storm targets the region
A coastal low-pressure system looks to take aim at the region on Tuesday, tracking northeastward across the mid-Atlantic and up the coast.
“There are differences though in the models regarding the exact speed, strength and track of the system,” the weather service said in its latest forecast discussion.
It said generally, there does not appear to be a favorable setup for a big snowstorm near and south/east of the Interstate 95 corridor.
That’s because of rapidly retreating high pressure off to the east and northeast, the discussion said — a pattern that favors a significant warm influence south of the Interstate 78 corridor.
“However, the antecedent air mass will be cold for this time of year, so this may support at least some snow at the onset, especially away from the coast,” it said.
What about the Lehigh Valley?
The Lehigh Valley could have a better shot at accumulating snow, forecasters say.
The weather service said the possibility of precipitation is 50-70% area-wide Tuesday.
“Mainly rain appears to be favored near the coast, with more potential for a period of snow or mixed/rain snow near the I-95 corridor at the onset.
“The greater potential for impacts from any snowfall accumulations will be northwest of the I-95 corridor, and especially near and north of the I-78 corridor.”
Forecasters stressed again the “overall uncertainty in these specific details remains high, so forecast confidence in them is still relatively low.”
The Climate Prediction Center said models are in “good agreement” in an upcoming pattern that favors below-normal temperatures across much of the northern and eastern Great Plains, middle and upper Mississippi Valley, Midwest, Northeast and mid-Atlantic region.
Temperatures in the Lehigh Valley through next week are expected to be rather chilly, with daytime highs in the 30s and overnights in the 20s.
