The National Weather Service warns that strong wind gusts, some topping 50 or even 60 mph, and bursts of heavy rain will sweep across major cities from Chicago to Boston, including New York City, Washington, DC, and Philadelphia. The wild weather is expected to arrive Thursday night, Dec. 18, and linger into Friday, Dec. 19.
AccuWeather says the storm will first deliver a surge of springlike warmth, sending temperatures into the upper 40s and lower 50s overnight, before a sharp cold front brings a sudden chill and a transition to snow and ice in some areas. Rainfall totals could reach an inch, with locally higher amounts possible.
“Along much of the I-95 zone, some of the strongest wind gusts will occur late Thursday night to Friday morning rush hour, right as the storm’s cold front swings through,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek said. “Downed trees, branches, and power outages could result at this time.”…