Snow Heading for The Berkshires

You didn't think we were going to get off that easy did you?

This April has been chalk full with unseasonable warm, sunny days and with temperatures hitting 70 degrees multiple times (and it's only April 14 mind you) some of us thought we were in the clear from winter's grasp. The rest of us, who have lived in The Berkshires for more than two years, know better.

Measurable, plowable snow is possibly headed our way Thursday into Friday. Multiple weather outlets are predicting 3 to 5 inches over night Thursday and 1 to 3 inches possible Friday morning across Berkshire County, although some of those totals are backing down as we speak.

The National Weather Service Albany has issues a Winter Storm watch in effect from Thursday night into Friday for southern Vermont counties and of course, Berkshire County. Travel could be difficult at times. Most of Berkshire County is currently looking at 2 inches, although were are still a few days out and we all know forecasts could change.

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The Weather Channel says Thursday night temperatures will hit a low of 32 degrees, rain and snow will start to fall in the evening turning to all snow late. Snow accumulating 3 to 5 inches. Friday we'll see highs are 39 degrees and rain and snow in the morning. The rain and snow will change to all rain in the afternoon. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected.

Popular snow prediction blog Greylock Snow Day (amazingly accurate, IYKYK) had this to say:

We have a ton of moisture moving into the area on Thursday, and the precipitation will come down moderately and heavily overnight and into Friday. Here is a sentence we do not see that often from NWS Albany: "Explosive secondary cyclogenesis is likely." Translation: "We have ourselves a nor'easter."

Historically, these spring storms do not pan out. More often than not there isn't enough cold air in place, and it ends rainy with wet flakes mixed in. But because this storm has the potential to be very powerful, it could draw enough cold air into the region to turn the rain drops to snow flakes.

Those in the higher terrain will likely see measurable snow, and we'll have to see just how deep into the valleys the snow line falls. Right now, the models are showing a VERY robust storm. The Euro has us in the 3-5" range; the North American is predicting 9-10" for the Berks; and a second North American model tops us out at 11-13". We think these numbers are running high, and the Euro prediction will likely end up being more accurate. But you never know, which makes this weather prediction game fun.