Thankfully Mt. Holly had a good update this evening on their discussion…
KEY MESSAGE 3...Potential for a coastal storm Thursday and/or
Friday. Impacts/details are very uncertain as these will depend on
how close to the coast the low tracks.
For Thursday and Friday, the upper air pattern is forecast to become
more amplified across the East. The sharpening of an upper-level
trough will develop a storm, however the details are much less
certain at this time. The model consensus is pointing toward a
storm, however whether this will become a coastal storm or one that
simply goes out to sea is the forecast challenge. Some guidance
suggests a significant winter storm while others are a miss. If the
southern energy can remain out ahead of the northern stream energy
along with a trough axis more neutral or becoming negatively tilted,
then the surface low would tend to be closer to the coast. The
guidance that has more of a positive tilted upper-level trough shear
the system northeastward and keeps it out to sea. The closer to the
coast scenario would favor more precipitation westward across our
region, with the timing either Thursday or Friday. Given the wealth
of uncertainty in the details, did not alter the forecast away from
the NBM guidance. This continues to show low chances for now of rain
and/or snow Thursday and Thursday night, however it currently is dry
for Friday. If some of the guidance is correct, then PoPs would need
to be added/increased for Friday. A colder air mass is forecast to
be in place at the of next week and to start next weekend.