By Wednesday evening, broad southeast flow in the wake of
retreating high pressure will keep cold air locked in east of
the mountains as a warm nose of overrunning precipitation
overspreads the region. The aforementioned band of snow will
gradually lift northeast ahead of a broad area of low pressure
moving in from the Ohio Valley with a transition to sleet and
eventually freezing rain during the overnight hours. Model
soundings have indicated that the layer of cold air at the
surface could be a little bit deeper than previous runs,
indicating potential for a longer period of sleet overnight
before an inevitable transition to freezing rain. QPF amounts
are generally 0.25-0.5" along and north of I-80, >0.75" in the
Laurels, and 0.5-0.75" east of I-99 and south of I-80.
Temperatures are progged to rebound considerably Thursday
afternoon, though temperatures soaring into the 50s appears less
and less likely as the event draws closer. It is difficult to
scour out the cold air after these events, so trending below
guidance seems prudent. Even still, highs in the 40s areawide
should help most, if not all, of the ice melt during the
afternoon and evening before cooler air filters in from the
north as another cold front moves in.
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