Snow will follow bitter cold this weekend. How much can the Poconos expect?
The Poconos will almost certainly see some snow this holiday weekend, but as of Friday morning, it's too early to say exactly how much.
Snow will start on Sunday before transitioning to rain.
According to a Friday morning forecast from the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey, there's an 89% chance that Mount Pocono will get at least 2 inches of snow.
Accumulating snow & sleet is expected along and NW of I-95 Sun evening and overnight before a change to rain. The greatest threat for damaging winds remains near the coasts and coastal plain. Minor to moderate coastal flooding is anticipated north of AC. #PAwx #NJwx #DEwx #MDwx pic.twitter.com/VLbBNm6XGU
— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) January 14, 2022
The storm's precise track will determine how much snow falls in the Poconos.
"A major storm will rumble up the Eastern Seaboard Sunday, with snow developing later in the day, then likely becoming a wintry mix Sunday night, if the track follows the I-95 corridor, allowing milder Atlantic air to be drawn inland. Up to 4 inches of snow would fall before a changeover, and snow showers with gusty winds will return on Martin Luther King Jr. Day," said meterologist and Pocono weather expert Ben Gelber.
"Should a more easterly trajectory along or just off the coast occur, accumulations would increase to more than 6 inches, though that is looking less likely currently based model trends," he added.
Get ready: A major snowstorm is forecast to roar across the Midwest, South and East Coast
The Poconos will have a cold Friday night and Saturday to get through first, with wind chills of up to 20 below zero expected.
More: NWS issues wind chill advisory for Poconos Friday night into Saturday
Meanwhile in the Lehigh Valley, which is not under a wind chill advisory, a hazardous weather outlook already advises that "Snow and/or sleet accumulation may result in significant travel disruptions on Sunday" in Lehigh and Northampton counties.
The Pocono Record will monitor PennDOT for traffic restrictions and updates. Travel information can also be found at 511pa.com, on the 511PA app and on regional Twitter accounts such as @511PANortheast (Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Poconos) and @511PAAllentown (Lehigh Valley).
Kathryne Rubright is a reporter covering the environment, northeast Pa. politics, and local news. She is based at the Pocono Record. Reach her at krubright@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: How much snow will the Poconos get Sunday into MLK Day?
