Forecasters monitoring potential for more snow in DC area this weekend

The National Weather Service says there is increasing potential for another significant winter storm that could bring even more snow to the eastern United States this coming weekend.

The NWS Weather Prediction Center says it’s too early to know the details, but is encouraging the public to monitor forecasts throughout the week. 

What we know:

Forecasters say frigid temperatures will continue to blanket the eastern half of the United States into next week. By Thursday, a "high-altitude disturbance" will dive out of Canada Thursday and deepen across the eastern U.S. by Saturday. 

That will lead to a strong surface low-pressure system that will interact with the cold air mass. The result – heavy precipitation. 

FOX Weather forecasters say one big signal they are watching with this setup is an atmospheric traffic jam over Greenland that can force storms to take paths that meander along the coast, making for multi-day weather hazards.

The second is an impressive ridge in the Intermountain West. While temperatures there will be well above average, it gives a clear path for the jet stream to bring systems out of Canada, over the Plains, and exiting somewhere along the Atlantic seaboard. This also helps to ensure that cold air continues to funnel out of the arctic and into the eastern half of America.

Days of arctic are to set up over Eastern U.S. (FOX Weather)

Should the timing align over the weekend, it could set the stage for yet another northeast snowstorm and not another cross-country storm like we saw over the weekend.

What we don't know:

The placement, strength and timing of the disturbance coming down from Canada are still unknown as of Monday afternoon. 

(FOX Weather)

The timing, track and strength of the surface low pressure system will determine whether the storm brings rain, snow, or mixed precipitation. It will also determine how much precipitation occurs over the eastern U.S. before the storm moves offshore. 

It’s also too soon to determine impacts to travel and infrastructure due to snow and wind.

What the models are saying

With several days of data left to gather, there is a large degree of uncertainty among computer forecast models regarding the outcome of this system.

FOX Weather Meteorologists Bob Van Dillen and Jane Minar noted Monday that both the traditional European and the AI-driven European forecast models indicated more impacts for the Mid-Atlantic coast, while the American GFS forecast model was less bullish on a major impact.

Computer forecast model comparison. (FOX Weather)

But should these forecast ingredients come together, it could set the stage for another snowstorm for the northeastern portion of the Interstate 95 corridor, which had been suffering from a decade-long snow drought in many locales.

Ahead of the weekend, the jet stream pattern will allow a weak clipper system to move out of Canada and bring lake-effect snow to the Great Lakes and western New York.

Check back for updates on this developing story.