1/28/2022: Chilly today, then a close call with Saturday nor'easter
The latest Storm Tracker Forecast from Meteorologists Matt Mackie and Jill Szwed:
Happy Friday! Highs this afternoon will get to around the 30-degree mark, with some south of Albany seeing briefly above-freezing temps. Expect more clouds than anything else, with the chance for a few flurries or light snow showers. Accumulations will be minimal.
Temps plunge back to the single digits tonight, out ahead of a powerful nor'easter set to move up the coast. The limiting factor for snow in this storm won't be temperature, as we have seen with the past few wintery-mix systems - we'll be more than cold enough for snow. Instead, the path of the system may be a bit too far east for us to see the most impressive totals.
Starting a couple hours before sunrise Saturday, the storm will be in the northeast. While those along the coast from Long Island, to Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Cape Cod will be getting crushed with well over a foot of snow, we'll be right on the edge of the precipitation.
Cold but dry air surging in from the north will eat away at the snow in our area, causing an incredibly sharp cutoff over the Capital District. You can see that reflected in the National Weather Service's winter weather alerts below. Winter Storm Warnings are up for the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut. Meanwhile, there's not even an advisory for the Albany area.
We expect light totals (in the 1-3" range) along the Hudson River in places like Albany and Troy. Up the hills to the east, into the Rensselaer Plateau, Taconics, southern Green Mountains, and western Berkshire County, 3-6" could fall. Extreme eastern Berkshire County could see 6-12" with dramatically higher totals the further east you go into Massachusetts.
Highs will peak only in the teens for most. That results in not only a frosty feel, but also a really light and fluffy snow for those that see the flakes fly. With winds occasionally gusting to as high as 30 or 40 miles per hour, there's the potential for blowing snow and low visibility... not to mention the brutal wind chills!
Sunday looks like another frigid one, with sub-zero morning lows and highs only around 20. Monday is a touch better, with highs in the upper 20's and a mix of sun and clouds.
If you're holding out for some milder weather, turn your attention to the end of the 7 Day Forecast! Tuesday, we're back above freezing. Highs will approach 40 for Groundhog Day on Wednesday, with a mix of sun and clouds. Thursday looks dreary... but warm! Highs around 50 if you can believe it!