Forecast uncertainty remains high as the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center highlights the potential for a coastal storm to develop near the East Coast late this weekend, with confidence in storm formation higher than confidence in specific local impacts. Officials caution that small shifts in the storm’s track could mean anything from minimal impacts to accumulating snow and strong winds.
In its latest outlook, the Weather Prediction Center notes that low pressure is expected to develop near the Mid Atlantic coast late this weekend and strengthen rapidly offshore Sunday into Monday. Even with an offshore track, increasing winds and hazardous marine conditions are possible. What remains unclear is the exact track of the system and how snow and wind may combine to affect travel, infrastructure, and coastal areas.
The uncertainty is on full display in the latest model guidance. The most recent run of the GFS, which has struggled with accuracy at times this winter, shows extreme snowfall totals of up to three feet across parts of Maryland and Northern Virginia. The European model paints a much different picture, showing a more modest 1 to 4 inches for most of the region…