12:30 PM | Wintry mix on Tuesday could generate slippery travel conditions in suburbs

[12Z GFS forecast map for early Tuesday afternoon with "pink" region indicating mixed precipitation; map courtesy tropicaltidbits.com]

Discussion

Following today’s warmth, much colder air will filter into our region in the overnight hours following the passage of a strong cold front. This colder air mass will be anchored by strong Arctic high pressure to be situated tomorrow over New England (see forecast map) and low-level NE winds will bring about the dramatic change to our air temperatures. As warmer air tries to move up from the south on Tuesday, it will be forced to ride up and over the fresh low-level cold air mass and this will result in a wintry mix of rain, freezing rain, sleet and/or snow in parts of the I-95 corridor region from DC-to-Philly-to-New York City. Travel conditions could become slippery at times in suburban locations of the big cities; especially, higher elevation spots, beginning early in the day across the DC metro region and then later in the day from Philly to NYC. By late tomorrow night, the northward push of warmer air will succeed in eroding the shallow low-level cold air and temperatures are likely to rise gradually after midnight and some patchy fog may form as well. After a milder day on Wednesday, another cold front will usher in colder air for Thursday and Friday and the end result of that next frontal passage could be a repeat performance to close out the work week with more mixed precipitation possible on Friday.