Snow totals for Shore revised downwardly again in Saturday morning NWS update

Forecasters with the National Weather Service Wakefield have once again downwardly revised predicted snowfall for the Eastern Shore of Virginia. At one time forecasting a foot, now the weather service is predicting 4 inches for Accomack County and just 2-3 for Northampton. The most dangerous ice impacts are still forecast to remain west of the Chesapeake Bay, sparing Accomack and Northampton counties from the worst icing.

In its latest Winter Storm Briefing issued Saturday morning, the National Weather Service reported high confidence in a major winter storm affecting much of Virginia from Saturday through early Monday. A Winter Weather Warning and Cold Weather Advisory are still in effect.

For Accomack and Northampton counties, winter precipitation is expected to begin close to midnight Saturday evening, starting as snow before mixing with rain overnight and into Sunday. Snow and sleet accumulations on the Eastern Shore are expected to be lower than inland areas, with warming temperatures on Sunday allowing precipitation to change to rain. Precipitation is expected to end Monday morning. Despite the reduced icing risk locally, officials warn that travel conditions may still deteriorate quickly, especially Saturday night when temperatures will be in the 20s.

Strong northeast winds are also expected to affect the Eastern Shore. A Gale Watch has been issued for the coastal waters north of Cape Charles from Saturday night into Sunday afternoon, with Small Craft Advisory conditions expected through Sunday. Marine forecasters say freezing spray will become a concern early next week as bitterly cold air moves into the region.

While ice impacts are expected to remain minimal on the Shore itself, the National Weather Service cautions that regional power outages inland could still affect services, and the extended period of cold temperatures following the storm may prolong impacts. High temperatures early next week may struggle to rise above freezing, with lows well below freezing continuing into late week and possibly beyond.

Forecasters emphasize that impacts from the storm will not end when precipitation stops. Gusty winds and bitter cold behind the system could create hazardous conditions well into next week, particularly for those without reliable heat.