– Bitter Chill for Thursday, wind chills in teens & 20s
– Precipitation arrives near sunrise Friday
– Could begin as a wintry mix before quickly changing to rain
While the Hudson Valley has fallen into the deep freeze once again, it will only last for Thursday, before winds shift and bring milder air back to the region Thursday night into Friday. Our next weather system in the Ohio Valley brings milder air and moisture to the region near sunrise. The SW winds will warm the mid levels above freezing, so what falls from the clouds Friday morning will fall in the form of rain… not snow. But temperatures at the surface may not warm as fast… and some locations could be cold enough so that when the rain reaches the ground… it freezes on contact.
Our guidance is still unclear just how cold the temperatures outside your door will be Friday morning. Some data suggests temps will be above 32°, and the event will just be a plain rain. Other data… like the graphic shown… has temperatures just below freezing at sunrise, giving us a short period of freezing rain. But a little ice goes a LONG way toward creating dangerous conditions… by creating a glaze that coats all surfaces and makes it VERY icy.
Almost all data has temperatures in the mid 30s by 8am or 9am… turning the wintry mix over to a plain, cold rain. But a few sheltered valleys could hold onto the cold air for an extra hour or two, extending the dangerous conditions. The data we get on Thursday will help us with these details, and we’ll share that with you later on Thursday. But an icy Friday AM commute is possible, so check back for more info Friday afternoon.
Stay warm on Thursday!