Freezing rain Friday ⛸️
Update #484b
Hi again, all. We’ve got an ice event on our hands for Friday ⛸️
It’s all thanks to an Arctic area of high pressure which will see sub-freezing air surge down the Hudson River Valley early on Friday morning.
🧊 This will be an unusual weather event for the region, during which plain rain and mild temperatures will quickly transition into an icy mess. Temperatures in the 40s will nosedive into the 20s. You won’t want to be caught out on the roads when this change abruptly happens. It looks likely to occur late on Thursday night when less people are out and about, but might wait until the Friday morning commute for some.
The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook covering the potential.
What? Plain rain Thursday. Rain transitioning to freezing rain between the hours of 1:00 - 6:00 am from north to south early Friday morning. Freezing rain continuing much of Friday morning, possibly mixing with sleet and snow Friday afternoon.
When? Rain changing to freezing rain between 1:00 - 6:00 am Friday, from north to south across the region. Wintry mix ending by Friday evening. This event will impact both the AM and PM commute.
Where? The icing rain threat covers the entirety of the mid and lower Hudson Valley and Catskills. Temperatures may remain just above freezing in NYC and southern Westchester County, but it’s a close call.
How much? A glaze of ice is expected, with more substantial accretion possible where freezing rain persists the longest. A light accumulation of sleet and/or snow is also possible.
Impact? Deteriorating road conditions for the Friday morning commute. Icy conditions continuing through the day and during the afternoon commute, especially on untreated surfaces. Think about alternative travel plans, should the forecast remain unchanged. School closures look likely at this time. Conditions will remain slick even after precipitation ends due to very cold temperatures Friday night and Saturday.
I will send another email update tomorrow. In the meantime, follow along on Twitter for the latest.
