Despite an upcoming warm weekend, another storm is appearing to increase its possibility of occurring next week, with the potential to bring snow, ice, wind, and possibly intense thunderstorms to the East and South Coast - essentially a repeat of Winter Storm Olympia, according to The Weather Channel.
As of now, it's too far off to give concrete details about the amounts of snow, ice or rain that the storm could bring. Due to a subtropical jet stream making its way toward the West Coast from 4,000 miles out, there is even a chance that the storm doesn't occur at all, says Jonathan Erdman, a digital and senior meteorologist for The Weather Channel.
Why forecasting an E. Coast storm's details 7 days out isn't possible. Jet disturbance 4000 mi. away from W. Coast. pic.twitter.com/LWJBn6o4eq
— Jonathan Erdman (@wxjerdman) February 17, 2016
Despite this uncertainty, "indicators are suggesting that at least part of next week will be a stormy and unsettled period along the Atlantic coast of the United States," according to Paul Pastelok, the chief long-range meteorologist of AccuWeather. If it occurs, the storm could do two things: track offshore and bring snow to Washington, D.C., up to Boston, or track close to the coast (or fall inland) and bring rain to that I-95 corridor.
Temperatures are expected to drop down to the 30s and 40s next week, setting up cold that could provide for snow as moisture from the Gulf of Mexico comes together with the cold air creeping over the Northeast and Ohio Valley, brought in from the polar jet stream. If the polar jet stream overlaps with the subtropical coming in from the west, low pressure could build strength as it moves up the East Coast.
