The National Weather Service has extended a Winter Weather Advisory for parts of Delaware and New Jersey, warning of mixed precipitation and icy conditions through 9 am EST Tuesday (March 3).
The advisory was issued by the National Weather Service Mount Holly office.
Areas under advisory
The alert covers:
-New Castle County, Delaware, including Wilmington
-Salem County, New Jersey, including Pennsville
Forecasters said mixed precipitation is expected, with ice accumulations around a light glaze. Hazardous road conditions could impact the Tuesday morning commute.
Residents were urged to slow down and use caution while traveling. Updated road conditions are available by calling 511.
Storm brings wintry mix to region
According to AccuWeather, a weak storm tracked from the Plains into the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic Monday night, bringing freezing rain and sleet to coastal Delaware and southern New Jersey.
The wintry mix also extended further north into western, central and southeastern Pennsylvania.
Second storm taking shape
AccuWeather meteorologists said a larger storm will develop Tuesday, affecting portions of the Midwest and Northeast, while lingering snow, ice and rain continue across parts of the region.
The new system is expected to track further north, shifting the heaviest snow and wintry mix toward the Great Lakes and the interior Northeast. Parts of upstate New York and central New England could receive 1 to 2 inches of slushy snow and sleet.
In Pennsylvania cities such as Harrisburg, precipitation may begin as sleet and freezing rain Tuesday morning before transitioning to rain later in the day as warmer air moves in.
Flood risk from ice jams
As temperatures rise, ice on streams and rivers across the Northeast — including parts of Pennsylvania — could begin to break up.
“Where the ice jams up, there is a risk of rapid rises in water levels above the jams and then below where the jams break,” said Alex Sosnowski, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather. He warned that unprotected areas along flood-prone waterways could face localized flooding.
Pattern change to bring springlike warmth
By mid- to late week, a shift in the jet stream pattern is expected to bring milder conditions to much of the eastern United States.
AccuWeather said temperatures in cities such as Washington, DC, and Philadelphia could rise 10 to 20 degrees above the historical average for early March by Thursday.
An active storm track across the Plains into the Great Lakes may send additional rounds of rain into parts of the Northeast, including Pennsylvania, depending on each system’s path.
Forecasters urged residents to monitor updated forecasts as conditions evolve.
