Good morning NBC Action Weather bloggers,
Look below at the surface map from around 6 AM this morning, Martin Luther King Day:
There is some organization to this storm near the surface, but it is not very organized aloft. The surface low really is a weak low pressure area, but strong enough to draw in some warmer air from the south. There is a very good chance that we will rise to near or above freezing today. It will become cloudy by early this afternoon. And, then some light precipitation is likely later this afternoon through around midnight. But, with not much upper level support to cause lift and with very limited mid level moisture we are expecting only light drizzle, freezing drizzle, and then a change to light snow. Accumulations of 1/2 inch will be possible this evening.
As you can see to our north and north west, the Arctic air is just sitting there and ready to blast us again. As the low pressure area (surface cyclone) moves by, we can expect the temperatures to plunge again. As they go back down below freezing even a dusting of snow on the roads could cause some slick spots to develop between 6 PM and midnight.
Another Arctic front is going to blast in on Wednesday, and there is a good chance that we will be back down to near zero on Thursday morning. A warming trend will move in Friday into the weekend, but with some clouds and a weakening storm.
We will have an update after the new data comes out later this morning. Have a great day!
Gary