Two storms could collide in Northeast during peak Christmas travel

What’s New

If an Alberta clipper moving east across the United States collides with an offshore storm brewing in the Atlantic, it could unleash significant weather in the Northeast during the beginning of peak Christmas travel this weekend.

Why It Matters

Millions of Americans will travel for the holiday this year. An American Automobile Association (AAA) report predicts that more than 119 million Americans have at least 50 miles to travel for year-end holidays.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, which also brought record-breaking travel, lake effect snow and hazardous winter weather posed dangers for travelers on their way home, to the point where officials in parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York urged people to delay their trips until the worst of the snow had passed.

Given that Christmas is on a Wednesday this year and is just seven days away, Americans could set out early, meaning the forecast for this week and the coming weekend could have the biggest impact on travel.

What to Know

An Alberta clipper—a fast-moving storm system that originates in western Canada—spurred numerous winter weather alerts across the northern Plains states on Wednesday. It is expected to continue moving eastward, impacting the Great Lakes region by Thursday night.

Once the storm arrives in the Northeast, it will cause flurries and spotty snow that could contribute to some mild travel impacts.

However, it’s possible that energy from that storm will feed another storm brewing offshore, bringing that storm closer to the coast where it could strengthen and cause major disruptions, including airline delays and hazardous conditions on the I-95 corridor that traverses through major East Coast cities like New York City and Boston.

If the clipper transfers energy to the offshore storm quickly, it will cause a stronger storm. Should it strengthen, a Nor’easter could evolve. It would peak on Friday night into Saturday morning.

What People Are Saying

AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski told Newsweek: “As that system gets to the Northeast, what’ll happen is what we call an energy transfer, where that clipper storm’s energy transfers to the coastal storm.”

Sosnowski added: “Regardless of what that storm does, the two will combine forces and drag down the coldest air of the season so far for a big chunk of the Northeast.”

What Happens Next

Even without colliding with the offshore storm, AccuWeather warned that the Alberta clipper will likely bring up to 12 inches of snow to Minneapolis as it continues its trek east.

Meteorologists will have a much better idea of how the clipper will interact with the offshore storm by Thursday night, Sosnowski said.