An early spring snowstorm is expected to bring heavy snow to Central and Northern New York on Monday and into Tuesday, raising the potential for power outages and difficult travel, forecasters said.
The storm could bring a mix of snow and rain to New England, but in New York State, which is expected to get the brunt of the storm, snowfall amounts of up to six inches are possible in some northern counties, according to the National Weather Service.
A mix of rain and snow was expected to spread into much of Central New York and Northeastern Pennsylvania on Monday evening, and change to snow in many areas before tapering Tuesday morning, forecasters said.
Lily Chapman, a meteorologist with the Weather Service in Binghamton, N.Y., said on Sunday that one of the greatest concerns was that the storm was expected to bring heavy, wet snow.
“That’s the kind of stuff that can bring down trees because it does weigh so heavily on them,” Ms. Chapman said. “So, you will be looking at your risk for power outages, and it’s also a little more difficult to shovel.”
The Weather Service had not issued watches or warnings associated with the storm as of Sunday morning, but Ms. Chapman said that could change, especially as forecasters become more certain about the track of the storm and expected snowfall totals.
“There is still quite a bit of uncertainty with that,” she said. “Some models right now are still pretty back and forth on that, unfortunately. Bottom line is that we’re looking at the potential for some pretty impactful weather.”
Although exact snowfall amounts were unclear, Josh Weiss, a meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center, said it was unlikely the storm would produce record-breaking snowfall amounts in places like Delaware and Sullivan Counties, in the Catskills, and Otsego County in Central New York.
“I don’t think that the amounts are too significant for an April event,” Mr. Weiss said. “We typically do get a late-season snowfall up there, so I don’t think this is out of the realm of normalcy.”
As the storm moves east on Monday, the effects are not expected to be as significant as in New York.
In Central Massachusetts, the storm is expected to bring widespread rain and wet snow late on Monday night and into Tuesday, said Alan Dunham, a meteorologist with the Weather Service in Boston.
“It’s not going to be a winter storm for us,” Mr. Dunham said, referring to those in the Boston area.
The storm is unlikely to significantly affect runners in the Boston Marathon on Monday. They can expect partly cloudy skies with highs in the low 50s before rain moves into the area after about 9 p.m., according to the Weather Service in Boston.
Ms. Chapman said that it is not uncommon to get a snowstorm in April, but she added that those in the Northeast may not have an appetite for snow in the spring.
“After we’ve had such pretty nice weather, I think maybe people are probably not really in the mood at this point for it or ready to deal with it,” Ms. Chapman said. “Just be prepared to maybe have to shovel and for a sloppy commute possibly.”
