Eastern US feels 'balmy' temperatures as region thaws but the freeze will return

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/feb/22/weather-eastern-us-balmy-temperatures-snowfall

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Amid relentless snowstorms and brutal wind chills, the above-freezing temperatures in Sunday’s forecast for the north-eastern US never looked so good.

Snow continued to fall in the region into the morning or turn to icy rain but temperatures were expected to warm to highs near the mid-30sF in Boston and Portland, Maine, and near 42F in Philadelphia. Even with the wind chill, it could seem a “balmy” 30F to 35F in New York City on Sunday.

“We have a little teaser with this warm-up,” said Kim Buttrick of the National Weather Service in Taunton, Massachusetts. “But temperatures are going to go back to being below normal on Monday and Tuesday.”

Related: Boston braves yet another wintry blast as snow and ice slam eastern US again

The snow began falling over the east coast on Saturday, dropping a wintry mix as far south as northern Georgia. The NWS said the storm could bring 6in or more of snow to some areas in the north-east by Sunday morning.

By Saturday night, about 8in had fallen in Baltimore, while Washington had 5in and New York City had 2in. Into Sunday, as much as 8in of snow was possible in some inland areas, while areas farther south and closer to the coast were expecting a wintry mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain.

New England, where Boston has seen more than 8ft of snow from several strong storms in recent weeks, was again under siege. Three to 6in of fresh snow was forecast for much of the region, as well as a wintry mix including rain as temperatures climb Sunday.

Buttrick said existing snowpack will become heavier as it absorbs any rain that does fall and endanger strained roofs.

“It especially will be problematic for flat roofs,” she said. “On a sloped roof, with that loading, the weight of the snow may just come falling down, and could be a hazard with icicles. It could also take the gutters with it.”

Related: Niagara Falls freezes over as polar vortex drops temperatures – pictures

The storm also brought headaches elsewhere: rain and above-freezing temperatures in Tennessee prompted state emergency officials to warn of possible flash flooding from melting snow. Officials in the Washington area, where 4in to 8in was expected, urged drivers to avoid unnecessary travel. Blowing snow swirled through the streets of Philadelphia and New York City.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) briefly issued a ground stop on Saturday to keep flights from taking off for Philadelphia International Airport because of reduced visibility and high winds, airport spokeswoman Mary Flannery said.

She said about 20% of the flights into and out of the airport were canceled and many others were delayed. The FAA was reporting that the three airports in the New York metropolitan area, Washington Dulles International Airport and Memphis International Airport in Tennessee also were experiencing significant delays because of the weather.

The eastern United States did not have the market cornered on misery, however: A winter storm was threatening to bring 2ft or more of snow to parts of Colorado by the beginning of the work week. Heavy snow up to 3in an hour began falling Saturday on the Front Range, while in Wyoming, a 50-mile stretch of Interstate 80 between Cheyenne and Laramie was closed.