Nor'easter Brings First Seasonal Snow and Sharp Cold to Eastern U.S.

A modest nor'easter is expected to bring the first measurable snowfall of the season to portions of the eastern United States by the end of the week, forecasters said. Weather.com meteorologist Rob Shackelford noted that the highest chances of snow accumulation stretch from northern New England mountains through upstate New York and the Appalachian region, where the snow would be the first of the season.

Lake-effect snow will also develop around the Great Lakes. NOAA's Weather Prediction Center warned that surface temperatures will be coldest over Michigan's Upper Peninsula, with multi-banded snow likely to produce several inches from Thursday into early Friday. The National Weather Service in Marquette projected an extended period of lake-effect snow from Wednesday night through Saturday morning, with the most significant accumulation expected overnight Thursday.

In the Midwest and Northeast, a surge of chilly air will drive the lowest temperatures of the season so far across much of the eastern United States, according to AccuWeather. A NOAA map shows lows in the 20s and 30s on Saturday, Nov. 14, east of the Mississippi River, except for central and southern Florida. Frost and freeze risks will extend from northeastern Texas to near northern Florida and along the I-95 corridor of the Carolinas.

In the New York and New England area, the Buffalo weather service described the event as minor, with only chilly, unsettled conditions expected. The Burlington, Vermont office indicated a 60-80% chance of light to moderate wet snow on higher terrain of the Adirondacks and Green Mountains, with a greater than 50% probability of at least four inches above 3,500 feet.

The Pittsburgh weather service increased confidence in snowfall for West Virginia's mountains on Friday and Saturday, forecasting several inches at higher elevations. Similar light accumulations are possible in the southern Appalachians, with up to five inches projected for Newfound Gap in North Carolina.

In the Southeast, sub-freezing temperatures are set to end the growing season in many areas. AccuWeather expert Tyler Roys warned that prolonged temperatures in the 20s could damage sensitive crops. Nighttime lows are expected in the lower to mid-30s from Texas to northern Florida and the I-95 corridor, with the coldest air moving into the lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys before shifting toward the southern Appalachians and Piedmont over the weekend.