Winter’s last stand: Snow just temporary, spring weather may hit by weekend
By J.J. Kindred | (jj.kindred@thedailytimes.com)
Mother Nature teased Blount County and the surrounding area with a one-day snowstorm which closed the county schools but caused few other problems.
Despite heavy downpours of snow accompanied by cold, blustery winds Wednesday morning, people shouldn’t get used to it.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Morristown, things will be changing dramatically toward the end of the week, as no precipitation is expected for the next several days and through the weekend.
Light snow and flurries were expected Wednesday night, but anything that comes down will end today, as highs are expected to be in the lower 50s, and could warm up into the 60s over the weekend.
“It will definitely be dry for the next couple of days,” said Jerry Hevrdeys, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “The heaviest snow should be over for (Wednesday) and should be limited.”
The NWS recorded trace amounts of snowfall Tuesday night and, by Wednesday, a tenth of an inch of snow had accumulated.
Hevrdeys said the next chance of rain coming will come in on Sunday night and into Monday.
“It will be getting warmer for sure,” he said.
Elsewhere, however, residents weren’t so fortunate. A winter storm marched into the Mid-Atlantic region Wednesday, dumping nearly two feet of snow in some places and knocking out power to about 250,000 homes and businesses.
The storm pummeled the nation’s midsection on Tuesday, killing at least four people in weather-related traffic accidents. It was forecast to head to the northeast today, bringing strong winds, more snow and the possibility of coastal flooding to New England.
In Washington, where as much as 10 inches were forecast, the storm did little but drop harmless snowflakes that rapidly melted amid warmer-than-expected temperatures.
There were problems elsewhere in the region, though.
Lashing winds blew off part of the roof of a Stone Harbor, N.J., condominium complex and Ocean City officials advised residents to move their cars to higher ground in preparation of possible flooding.
Maryland’s Bay Bridge, which connects Maryland’s Eastern shore with the Baltimore-Washington region, closed in both directions, because of wind gusts of up to 60 mph.
A tractor-trailer overturned on the bridge and leaned against the guardrail. Kelly Kiley, an interior designer, was driving on the span soon after the accident.
“The travel on the bridge was extremely scary,” Kiley said. “The crosswinds were terrible. Some of the taller box trucks were swaying.”
In Virginia, Gov. Bob McDonnell declared a state of emergency and about 50 National Guard soldiers were sent out to help clear roads.
Up to 20 inches of snow piled up in parts of central and western Virginia. In Sterling, Va., a glaze of slush and snow coated major roads and side streets, but traffic was relatively light and plow trucks came through repeatedly. Many retailers were closed.
The storm brought around 10 inches of snow to weather-hardened Chicago on Tuesday, closing schools and canceling more than 1,100 flights at the city’s two major airports.
In Pennsylvania and Ohio, many areas had 4 to 6 inches of snow. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the Philadelphia area and parts of central Pennsylvania through Thursday morning.
Still recovering from Superstorm Sandy, the Jersey Shore prepared for another hit. The storm should bring rain and snow, but one of the biggest problems could be flooding in areas where dunes were washed away and many damaged homes still sit open and exposed.
