Winter Storm Janus: Snow and Wind for East Coast

Winter Storm Janus will bring a short but disruptive burst of snow to the heavily populated and traveled I-95 corridor from Virginia to New England Tuesday through early Wednesday. Janus is the tenth named storm of the 2013-14 winter storm season.

Current Radar

• INTERACTIVE RADAR
• WINTER ALERTS

Current Radar

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Janus originated as a weak area of low pressure developing along a powerful arctic cold front as it began surging south into the U.S. early Monday.

This low will zip southeast and then eastward along that front as it barrels farther south, intensifying significantly as it moves east of the Appalachians and eventually off the Atlantic coast Tuesday. With very strong high pressure and bitterly cold arctic air building in from the north, the stage will be set for this low-pressure center to blitz the Northeast Megalopolis with snow and blustery winds.

(MORE:Why The Weather Channel Names Winter Storms)

Tuesday and Wednesday: Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Ohio Valley

Light snow showers will linger across eastern portions of the Ohio Valley into the central Appalachians and southward into the Cumberland Plateau and Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and far western North Carolina into Tuesday afternoon. Behind Janus, a narrow but very heavy lake-effect snow will continue to strike southern sections ofChicago and southern Cook County, Ill., as well as northwest Indiana.

Tuesday NightTuesday Night

The low-pressure center associated with Winter Storm Janus will quickly move off the Mid-Atlantic coast from Virginia and North Carolina in the afternoon Tuesday before making a left hook and quickly intensifying into a major coastal storm, moving northeastward parallel to the coast of the Northeast and New England Tuesday night and Wednesday.

As the low strengthens and a strong area of very cold arctic high pressure builds in right behind it, the stage is set for a significant winter storm with snow, wind, and falling temperatures along the I-95 corridor.

Snow overspread the I-95 corridor from Washington, D.C. to New York City Tuesday morning and continues to expand northeastward into southern New England as well. The worst conditions will affect D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia in the afternoon and evening hours, and the New York-Boston corridor from Tuesday afternoon through the overnight hours Tuesday night.

(FORECAST: Snowshoe, W.V. | Washington, D.C. | Philadelphia | Baltimore | New York City | Boston)

Snow will also march all the way to the coast with this storm, affecting Delaware, the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and New Jersey with accumulating snow, peaking in the Tuesday afternoon to Tuesday night time frame.

(FORECAST: Dover, Del. | Atlantic City, N.J.)

Snowfall ForecastSnowfall Forecast

Current Winter AlertsCurrent Winter Alerts

Current WindsCurrent Winds

Blustery winds will add to the winter woes from this storm. Northerly winds of 15 to 30 mph will be common across the Mid-Atlantic and coastal Northeast with this storm. As temperatures fall through the 20s and into the teens in some areas, the snow will become increasingly powdery and increasingly easy to blow around. Blowing and drifting snow could complicate efforts to keep roads clear in some areas.

Winter storm warningshave been posted for much of this region for Tuesday and Tuesday night, including areas as far south as Richmond, Va. and Norfolk, Va.

Snowfall should quickly wind down south of New York City late Tuesday evening and Tuesday night. Meanwhile, coastal New England can expect the snow to continue into Wednesday morning. Blizzard conditions are possible in far southeast Massachusetts, including Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Blizzard warnings are posted for those areas Tuesday night through midday Wednesday.

The last of the snow will wind down over Maine Wednesday afternoon and evening.

(FORECAST: Portland, Maine)

Total snow accumulations will likely range from 6 to 12 inches along portions of the I-95 corridor from northern Virginia all the way to Providence, R.I.and Boston, Mass.Because of the low's track taking snow all the way to the coast, the familiar pattern of heavier snow in the northern and western suburbs of the Megalopolis may not hold true this time, especially from Philadelphia to New York and Boston.

(MORE:Winter Driving Tips)

Winter Storm Janus does not have a huge amount of atmospheric moisture to work with. Instead, strong lift in the mid-levels of the atmosphere and the high fluff factor of the snow (due to the cold temperatures) are expected to be the key factors in boosting snow totals. As a result, parallel bands of heavier and lighter snow are developing, and this could cause accumulations to vary by several inches across relatively short distances.

Not only will temperatures plunge during Winter Storm Janus, but the cold air and the snow on the ground will stick around for a while, as highs stay below freezing across the entire Northeast for the rest of the workweek.

(FORECAST: Arctic Blast, Bitterly Cold Temperatures Ahead)

The name "Janus" comes from the god of beginnings and transitions in Roman mythology. Appropriately, Winter Storm Janus is occurring in January, the month named for the Roman god Janus.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Photos of Winter Storm Ion

Source: http://www.weather.com/article/winter-storm-janus-forecast-20140120