[Nfbmt] Baltimore/D.C. Weather

Thu Jan 21 06:01:41 UTC 2016

Winter Storm Jonas to Become Dangerous East Coast Snowstorm; Blizzard Watch
for D.C., Baltimore

Jan 20 2016 11:15 PM EST

weather.com

Winter Storm Jonas Interstate Travel Forecast

Meteorologist Ari Sarsalari forecasts the travel impacts of winter storm
Jonas. 

Winter Storm Jonas is just only beginning to take shape over the central
United States, as the system will turn into a major snowstorm by later Friday
into Saturday across parts of the East Coast. Heavy snow is likely to fall
across more than 14 states, with dangerous blizzard conditions developing
over parts of the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas. In
addition to the snow, Winter Storm Jonas will also feature strong winds,
significant icing and coastal flooding.

the potential for crippling snow totals in parts of the East, Winter Storm
Jonas has two other impacts that could be destructive, disruptive, or at
least a nuisance.

The squeeze play between the intensifying low-pressure center of Jonas off
the Eastern Seaboard and high pressure over eastern Canada will lead to
strong,

possibly damaging winds for a time in parts of the East.

Intensifying quickly late Friday night, these winds may gust to 60 mph, at
times, along the Jersey shore, Delmarva Peninsula, Virginia Tidewater and
eastern

Long Island Saturday and Saturday night. 

Some stronger gusts over 50 mph are also possible on Cape Cod, Nantucket
Island, and Martha's Vineyard into Sunday morning, before slowly diminishing.

These winds are capable of downing power lines and limbs. In areas with
persistent higher gusts, some trees may be downed and minor building damage
may result. 

While most likely not as strong as near the coast, strong winds coupled with
heavy snow may lead to blizzard conditions, particularly in rural areas. The

weight of a foot or more of snow coupled with strong winds may lead to
additional downed trees, tree limbs, and power outages.

Those in the central Appalachians and Middle Atlantic states, including
coastal locations as far north as the southeast New England should prepare
for the possibility of power outages from Winter Storm Jonas this weekend.

Coastal Flooding

Wind direction, speed, duration and the length of the wind flow over water,
or fetch, all determine the amount of coastal surge flooding and battering

waves atop the surge in any non-tropical or tropical cyclone.

In this case, parts of the Mid-Atlantic and southeast New England coasts
should see about a 24- to 30-hour period of strong onshore winds, as
described

above.

With a full moon this weekend, tides will already be running high, which
could worsen coastal flooding impacts, as strong winds drive onshore during
multiple

tide cycles.

Areas of particular concern include:

.Delaware, including both Delaware Bay and the Atlantic beaches

.The western side of Chesapeake Bay, including tidewater inlets and the
Norfolk/Virginia Beach/Newport News metropolitan area

.The Jersey shore, including the south shore of Raritan Bay

.In these areas, major coastal flooding is possible for both Saturday morning
and Saturday evening high tides, with potential beach erosion and even
property damage.

Other areas with a chance of moderate coastal flooding include the west end
of Long Island Sound, the south shore of Massachusetts, Cape Cod, Martha's
Vineyard and Nantucket Island. 

"The coastal flooding impacts we're talking about are significant - moderate
to major in some places - but not on the catastrophic scale of Sandy, Irene,
or the 1992 Nor'easter," said The Weather Channel hurricane and storm surge
specialist,

Michael Lowry.

Lowry says coastal flooding along the Jersey shore from Jonas is the type you
would have a 5 to 10 percent chance of seeing in any year. 

However, wave heights won't nearly be as high with Jonas as with the past
events listed above.

"At the end of the day, this has the potential of ranking as a top 10 event
for some locations depending on the timing of the surge and the times of
highest tide."

According to Lowry, water heights should not top the seawall at New York
City's Battery Park, but there could be some flooding of flood-prone areas
along

FDR Drive and near the South Street Seaport. 

Joy Breslauer, President

National Federation of the Blind of Montana 

Address: P.O. Box 1325, Great Falls, MT 59403 

Phone: (406) 454-3096

Email: president at nfbofmt.org

Web Site: www.nfbofmt.org

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