BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A storm system will trek from the Gulf Coast to the mid-Atlantic early Tuesday, bringing snow and sleet across the region, forecasters say.
The Lehigh Valley is under a winter weather advisory from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, with total snow and sleet accumulations of 2 to 5 inches expected, per the advisory, with the greatest amounts at higher elevations.
EPAWA Weather Consulting put the area in the 2-to-4 inch range in its first call on snow totals.
Commuters should plan on slippery road conditions affecting the morning rush, the advisory said.
Snowfall rates up to 1 inch per hour are possible, mixing with sleet before changing to all rain by Tuesday afternoon.
"We're pretty sold on the timing of this being very late overnight tonight into very early Tuesday morning," EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich said in his latest video update.
First snowfall of the season
For many, it will be the first accumulating snowfall of the season on the second day of meteorological winter.
Dec. 1 is used because it aligns with the coldest three-month period, while astronomical winter begins on the winter solstice, which is Dec. 21.
Early Monday, the National Weather Service said there continued to be “a trend toward a somewhat faster solution” with the storm.
“If this trend holds, it could have implications on initial precipitation type into the I-95 corridor with a little more snow possible,” the latest forecast discussion said.
But warm air is expected to filter in, moving the rain/snow line near or even north of the Interstate 78 corridor by Tuesday afternoon.
“The Southern Poconos have the best potential at an all-snow event from this system, but even they could see some mixing with sleet or rain,” the weather service said.
A winter storm watch is in effect for the southern Poconos, where probability for warning criteria snowfall (6 inches or greater) remains a little too low (40-60%) to justify an upgrade, the NWS said.
Precipitation is expected to end across the region from west to east pretty quickly by Tuesday evening into Tuesday night.
A winter storm will approach the Mid Atlantic and Northeast beginning Monday evening with a threat of snow and ice across the interior portions of both regions. Any snowfall and ice will present hazardous travel concerns, especially across the interior Northeast U.S. pic.twitter.com/ihA8xWyyS2
— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) November 30, 2025
Then comes the cold
The other main story this week will be the brutal cold behind the snow.
A front looks to cross the area Thursday into Thursday night, sparking potential for some snow showers near and north of I-78.
“The main factor with this cold front will be the notably colder air mass in its wake,” the weather service said.
Thursday night is likely to be the coldest night so far this season, with widespread low temperatures in the teens for most.
Wind chill values Thursday night are expected to be in the single digits to mid-teens, with daytime highs in the upper 20s on Friday.
