UPDATE: As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, the National Weather Service has increased the forecast snow totals for the Lehigh Valley from 3 to 6 inches to 4 to 8 inches.
The National Weather Service has upgraded a Winter Storm Watch to a Winter Storm Warning for much of eastern Pennsylvania for Wednesday, when the first significant snowfall of the season is expected to occur.
A warning means that significant amounts of snow are expected, and gusty winds are also possible. “This will make travel very hazardous or impossible,” the NWS said.
According to the warning statement, the warning will go into effect at 7 a.m. Wednesday, with snow expected to begin as rain or a rain-snow mix around dawn. After a changeover to frozen precipitation occurs, 3 to 6 inches of heavy, wet snow are expected to accumulate across the Lehigh Valley and western New Jersey, with locally higher amounts possible.
“Anyone with holiday travel plans Wednesday should complete travel no later than 7 a.m. Wednesday to avoid any significant weather related delays, or travel after the roads are cleared later Wednesday night or Thursday,” the NWS said.
Wednesday is the day before Thanksgiving, and the busiest travel day of the year in the United States.
The NWS also warned of the possibility of isolated power outages, which could negatively impact turkey dinners on Thursday.
“There is a chance the wet snow could knock down a few tree limbs if it accumulates more than 4 inches on branches and wires and result in power outages,” the agency said.
Some other weather outlets are predicting higher snowfall totals for the local area.
Weather Underground’s forecast calls for 5 to 8 inches, and the Eastern PA Weather Authority is forecasting 5 to 9 inches to fall in the Lehigh Valley, with as much as 7 to 11 inches in the eastern Poconos.
According to the EPAWA’s forecast discussion, convective instability in the atmosphere “could certainly lead to impressive snow rates right from the start of the event.”
The snow is expected to come to an end late Wednesday evening.
The snow will begin less than 48 hours after a record high temperature of 71 degrees was recorded at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown.
Residents are being advised to continue to monitor the weather forecasts for Wednesday.
