AccuWeather's long-range forecasting team continues to look even farther ahead and explore the possibility that the polar vortex may weaken and allow waves of frigid air to push farther south during March and April. When the polar vortex remains strong, as it has been in early February, the coldest air is often pent up near the Arctic Circle.
"An atmospheric traffic jam at the jet stream level, known as a blocking weather pattern, may set up near Greenland, which can force colder air southward across eastern Canada in the coming weeks," Lundberg said.
"Since there may be a persistent area of high pressure over the Gulf of Mexico that may counteract the cold air for a time, there is some question about how far south into the Midwest and Northeast that Arctic air may push," Lundberg explained. "The Greenland block may get into a better position to allow much colder air later in March to April, which could be bad news for buds, blossoms and springtime weather enthusiasts."
The upcoming pattern change does not necessarily mean that frequent snowstorms are in store for the Interstate 95 corridor of the Northeast. The area of high pressure over the Southeastern states and the Gulf of Mexico may remain a key factor in providing warm air.
However, the coming blocking pattern could open the door for a couple of snow events, especially during March and early April along the I-95 corridor.
"If that Gulf high-pressure area is able to flatten out at times, allowing bursts of cold air into the Northeast, and the timing with a storm coincides, there could still be a couple of snowstorms in the I-95 zones during the late winter and early spring," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.
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