New England Winter Storm 2016: Maine, New Hampshire And Massachusetts Face Harsh Winds And Heavy Snowfall

A snowstorm will bring a wintery mix of snow, rain, strong winds and harsh temperatures to New England Thursday, according to weather reports. Winter storm warnings have already been issued in areas of Western Massachusetts up through New Hampshire and Maine, while lake-effect snow advisories were issued Thursday over areas of central and western New York, northwest Pennsylvania, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, northeast Ohio and far northern Wisconsin, The Weather Channel reported.

Central and northern New Hampshire through northwest Maine will face the brunt of the snowstorm, with snowfall expected to range between 12 to 18 inches. Strong wind gusts, which were expected to reach anywhere between 40 to 45 miles per hour, are more than likely to lead to extensive blowing and drifting of dry snow, Accuweather reported, and could potentially cause whiteout conditions. In some areas of New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts, wind speeds could reach up to 50 miles per hour.

Meteorologists predicted blizzard conditions will spread farther west to Vermont. However, it was too early to tell how much snowfall the state could receive.

Coastal Maine, New York and Pennsylvania face lighter conditions but were still expected to receive a mix of snow and rain from the storm from Thursday morning to Friday, which could lead to slushy and slippery roads.

People traveling ahead of the New Year should be aware of “extensive travel disruptions,” AccuWeather said, as the storm continues throughout Thursday and Friday. The National Weather Service issued a travel advisory warning drivers of “hazardous driving conditions with snow covered and slippery roads, along with poor visibilities.” Intense winds and heavy snow, which could rack up at an inch per hour rate, could also lead to downed trees and power outages across central New England.

While New England’s interior was expected to face the harshest conditions, cities like Boston and Providence weren’t expected to receive much snow accumulation, but could still experience raging winds and rain.

The storm was expected to last through Thursday until late Friday. Temperatures throughout New England were likely to remain in the low 20's Thursday, then heat up to about 34 degrees in some areas by Friday afternoon.