The players are now on the field.  In other words, we can now see all the factors right in front of us that will produce a powerful winter storm for all of the Philadelphia and New York City metropolitan areas producing a variety of winter weather results.

For today, high pressure over Quebec will be in control producing scattered cloud cover through this afternoon.  This high pressure system will drive cold air into the Philadelphia and New York City metropolitan areas on the heels of a northerly wind at 5 to 10 mph.  Temperatures will rise into the upper 20′s to lower 30′s over the interior and mid 30′s along the coast.

Clouds will increase tonight as an area of low pressure over the Upper Mid West and a low pressure system along the Southeast coast will start to interact and phase into one storm.  Winds will veer to the northeast at 5 to 15 mph.  Temperatures will fall into the upper 10′s to lower 20′s over the interior and mid 20′s along the coast.

As a coastal low pressure system starts to rapidly develop off the Mid Atlantic tomorrow morning, snow and rain showers will start to develop.  Precipitation will become wide spread late tomorrow morning through tomorrow afternoon.  Over southern New Jersey and the Philadelphia metropolitan area the precipitation will be a mix of sleet and rain while over the New York City metropolitan area a mix of snow, sleet, and rain can be expected.  Further north, all snow is expected.  As the storm rapidly intensifies tomorrow night, all locations will go over to snow which will be heavy at times.  Regardless of precipitation type, winds will be strong from the northeast at 10 to 20 mph with gusts over 40 mph.  Also, significant coastal flooding can be expected on Friday night through early Saturday morning.  Visibility on Friday night will fall to near zero at times.  Temperatures on Friday afternoon will range from the upper 20′s to lower 30′s over the interior and mid to upper 30′s along the coast.  Temperatures will push into the lower 40′s over southern New Jersey.

The storm will exit on Saturday morning with high pressure in control Saturday afternoon through Sunday with scattered cloud cover expected.  High pressure is expected to remain in control through Tuesday with scattered cloud cover and moderating temperatures.  A cold front will slowly move through on Wednesday with scattered showers.  Temperatures on Saturday and Sunday will struggle in the lower to mid 30′s for highs and upper 10′s to mid 20′s for lows.  Temperatures on Monday through Wednesday will range from the upper 30′s to mid 40′s for highs and upper 20′s to mid 30′s for lows.