Significant Snowstorm Continues For New York, and Western New England

Local Update...
   Snow Will Continue Overnight Especially In Northern New York, And The Western Slopes Of The Green Mountains...

     The National Weather Service in Burlington, VT continues the Winter Storm Warnings for Northern New York, and Eastern Franklin County, and All of Orleans County in Vermont. The Winter Weather Advisory also remains in effect for the remainder of the spine of the green mountains and Northeastern Vermont.
     Doppler Radar is indicating that intensity of precipitation is diminishing, except across Northern New York. Heavy snow is currently falling over much of St. Lawrence County with light to occasionally moderate snow across much of the remainder of New York. In Vermont a rain and snow mix continues in the deepest portions of the Champlain Valley with mainly snow a few miles away from lake Champlain. For an example in Swanton Vermont a light rain/snow mix was falling with no accumulation, but 4 miles east in Highgate Center snow is falling moderately with 1" of accumulation. As the low pressure system continues to move North, moisture will continue to lessen, making precipitation confined to upslope areas, especially in Northern New York, and Northern Vermont. The only exception to snow falling in Valley locations will be in the St. Lawrence Valley in New York, where a well defined deformation zone is set up with moderate to heavy snow falling. It appears via radar that snowfall rates in that area very well could be in the 1 - 2 inch per hour range in the heaviest bands.
     Now to talk about total snowfall accumulations. For the St. Lawrence Valley, and the Northern Adirondack mountains in Northern New York total snowfall accumulations will range from 6 - 12 inches with local amounts of up to 16 - 18 inches. For the Champlain Valley of New York, and Vermont total snow accumulations will range from 1 - 3 inches with local amounts of up to 5 inches, especially on the New York side, and the elevated portions of the Valley on the Vermont side. For the Western Slopes/ spine of the green mountains total snowfall accumulations will be 4 - 8 inches with local amounts to 12 inches, especially in areas such as Jay Peak, Stowe Ski Resort, and Mount Mansfield. For Northeastern Vermont total snowfall accumulations will range from 2 - 5 inches with local amounts of up to 7 inches. For South-Central Vermont total snowfall accumulations will range from a dusting to 2 inches with local amounts of up to 4 inches in the higher elevations.
     Of additional concern will continue to be the strong winds, combined with the heavy wet nature of the snow. Winds of 15 - 25 MPH with gusts to 45MPH will likely lead to downed tree limbs, resulting in downed power lines. The most likely are for significant power outages will be in Northern New York, where the highest snowfall accumulations occur. Second area of concern will be the western slopes of the green mountains, where the higher snowfall amounts combined with the wind will have a similar impact as in Northern New York. Stay tuned for any further updates!!


     And to answer one of my blog viewers questions of whether this was a "Nor'easter" or not. I would say no, it was close, but its northward track through New England, ended its chances of being a full fledged nor'easter. It is very similar to a nor'easter though, as the storm formed off the Virginia coast and tracked up the coast to Long Island, but like I said above, that's where it lost its chance to be a Nor'easter as it tracked up into Western New England.