BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The coldest air of the season thus far is arriving in the Lehigh Valley, with forecasters touting conditions favorable for snow showers and squalls this afternoon.
"We have some snowflakes that are going to be flying through the area, and we’re going to have a very winterlike day today,” EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich said in his Tuesday video forecast.
Martrich warned it will feel like mid-January as a burst of cold air will result in daytime highs getting only into the mid- to upper 30s.
EPAWA's 11/28 and week ahead outlook, covering:
— Bobby Martrich | EPAWA (@epawawx) November 28, 2023
■ Cold January-like temperatures the next few days
■ Snow showers/squalls, windy conditions today
■ Mild late week and next precipitation chance(s)https://t.co/aHomeLONZp
“It will feel even colder than that as deep mixing will allow for gusty winds to get down to the surface,” the National Weather Service said in its latest forecast discussion.
Wind gusts are expected to peak in the 30 to 35 mph range, though some 40 mph gusts will be possible.
“The resulting wind chills due to the cold and blustery conditions will be in the 20s,” the discussion said, while Martrich noted wind chills in the coldest locations could be in the teens.
The potential for snow
“The other side of this, of course, is the snow,” Martrich said, flagging snow squalls and snow showers that are going to be coming off the Great Lakes.
While the snow showers and squalls won’t be everywhere, the weather service said it expects some lake effect “streamers” to make it into the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos.
The NWS put snow squall parameter values around 1 to 4, with anything above 1 representing favorable conditions for squalls. The highest values (3 to 4) are within the Pocono plateau, forecasters said, with lower values for the Lehigh Valley.
“The main limiting factor though will be the amount of dry air within the low-levels,” the forecast discussion said. That limits the threat for squalls and heavy snow and resulting in more of a snow shower-type setup.
Models have a 40-60% chance of measurable snowfall for the Lehigh Valley, Poconos and northwest New Jersey.
Mild, but unsettled for the long term
Forecasters say temperatures will struggle to recover for Wednesday, with highs ranging mainly from the mid-30s to low 40s across the region.
Temperatures are expected to moderate beginning Thursday, but the weather pattern “continues to trend milder but more unsettled for the long-term period,” the weather service said.
