East Coast Nor'easter Expected This Weekend, Major Snowfall Unlikely

A nor'easter is forecast to affect the East Coast this weekend. Major cities, including New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, are not expected to experience significant snowfall from this event.

Major cities, including New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, are not expected to experience significant snowfall from this event.

This favorable forecast allows continued snow removal operations from a previous winter storm to proceed without interruption.

Nor'easter Formation and Impact

East Coast major snowstorms are often associated with nor'easters, where low-pressure systems develop offshore and track northward. These systems typically distribute heavy snow to coastal regions along the Interstate 95 corridor.

The '40/70 Benchmark'

Forecasters utilize the '40/70 benchmark' (40 degrees north latitude, 70 degrees west longitude, approximately 80 miles south of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts) to assess potential snowfall. Significant regional snowstorms typically occur when a low-pressure system passes near this benchmark and interacts with sub-polar air.

The path of this weekend's storm is not anticipated to align with the conditions that produce major snowfall totals for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

The path of this weekend's storm is not anticipated to align with the specific conditions that produce major snowfall totals for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.