Potentially damaging winds could affect the area Friday night into Saturday, according to this National Weather Service maximum forecast wind gust map.
What meteorologists are calling a potentially powerful Nor’easter could bring a messy mix of weather to the Saucon Valley Friday and Saturday.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for two inches or less of snow and a flood watch for heavy rain that could result in flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas in the Lehigh Valley.
“Rain will spread across the region this evening and persist through at least Friday evening,” the NWS said Thursday. “The rain is forecast to change to or mix with snow on Friday in areas to the northwest of the I-95 corridor.”
“Rain will transition to snow initially along the high- elevation ridges around midday Friday and then closer to mid afternoon in the valleys,” according to the winter weather advisory, which is for Northampton, Warren and Morris counties.
“The snow could be heavy at times Friday afternoon and evening with snowfall rates of 1 inch per hour possible,” the NWS said. “(Motorists should) plan on very difficult travel conditions, including during the evening commute on Friday. The combination of strong northwest winds gusting to 50 mph and heavy snow could create near-blizzard conditions with visibilities below one-half mile at times. The heavy, wet nature of the snow and strong winds will likely cause damage to trees and power lines that will lead to scattered power outages, especially at higher elevations.”
Pennsylania Weather Action is predicting a storm that will drop a lot of snow on parts of the state, although elevation will in most cases be the determining factor when it comes to amounts.
According to the weather website’s Final Call Snowfall Forecast Map, parts of the Poconos and northeastern Pennsylvania could see up to a foot of snow “with isolated higher elevations above 1700 feet receiving more.”
Most of the Lehigh Valley can expect to receive a coating to 2 inches of snow following a long period of rain, according to PA Weather Action.
Area residents should continue to monitor the latest weather forecasts for updates on this developing winter storm.
