By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Before a large wintry storm ends the weekend and starts the new week, episodes of snow are likely to pester travelers from late Thursday night to Saturday in part of the northeastern United States.
Motorists venturing along portions of Interstate highways 64, 68, 70, 78, 79, 80, 81 and 95 should monitor the forecast at various points along their journey for periodic adverse weather conditions through this weekend.
Download the free AccuWeather app to see whether wintry weather or rain is predicted for your location.
Police attend to a multiple vehicle accident on Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C., as a winter snow storm hit the nation's capital on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
As many as three weak storms may drift across the Northeast through Saturday night.
While the storms into Saturday night may be weak, the air may be cold enough to squeeze out a moderate amount of snow or enough to shovel and plow. However, even a half an inch of snow that occurs during the nighttime and early morning hours can be enough to coat roads and sidewalks and create slippery conditions.
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In some cases, precipitation from one storm may blend with the next, due to the close proximity to each other.
First storm to track from Ohio Valley to mid-Atlantic coast
AccuWeather meteorologists predict that a swath of accumulating snow and some sleet will continue to progress eastward across the Ohio Valley into Thursday evening. Areas from central and southern Missouri to the central and southern portions of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, as well as northern Kentucky and northwestern West Virginia can expect a coating to an inch or two.
As this weak storm encounters the central Appalachians and eventually some moisture from the Atlantic Ocean, snowfall amounts are likely to trend upward and the overall swath of snow may broaden over northeastern West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, northern Virginia, northern Delaware, New Jersey and southeastern New York state late Thursday night to Friday night.
"In this swath that covers part of the central Appalachians and the upper mid-Atlantic coast, a zone of 2-4 inches of snow is forecast, where little or no sleet mixes in," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski.
A few spots near the Mason-Dixon Line have the potential to receive an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 6 inches.
"At this time, it appears this first batch of accumulating snow is not likely to reach much of southern New England," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brian Wimer.
Second storm to sneak in Friday night; Exit on Saturday
The second batch of snow is likely to develop over the mountains of West Virginia and western Virginia late Friday and Friday night and extend east-northeastward across the upper mid-Atlantic coast and southeastern New England on Saturday.
While up to a few inches of snow may accumulate as far to the north as southern and eastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey, the amount of accumulation may be negated by near- or above-freezing temperatures along the mid-Atlantic and southern New England coasts.
Some paved surfaces that have been treated with ice-melting compounds may be just wet as a result.
However, during early March, where snow falls at night or a moderate to heavy pace during the day, road surface temperatures cool enough to allow snow and slush to accumulate.
"There is a chance this second feature may strengthen at the last minute and try to produce a period of moderate snow from coastal New Jersey and Long Island, New York, to the immediate southern coast of New England for a time, before the storm heads out to sea on Saturday," Wimer said.
Third storm to fade over northern tier
The third storm may only be a mere ripple in the atmosphere across the northern tier.
However, as this feature drifts eastward from the Great Lakes on Saturday to the interior Northeast during Saturday night, a few places from Michigan to upstate New York to central and northern New England may receive a coating to an inch of snow.
This same feature is forecast to bring a light to moderate snowfall over the Upper Midwest during Friday and Friday night.
Major storm waits in the wings to end the weekend, start new week
The large storm scheduled to affect the Ohio Valley on Sunday and the Northeast during Sunday night to early Monday will move along at a fast pace.
However, a heavy snowfall on the order of 6-12 inches is likely north and west of the storm track with major travel disruptions. For parts of the Midwest and central Appalachians, this may end up being the biggest snowfall of the winter.
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