Winter Storm Watch

/O.EXB.KALY.WS.A.0007.070415T1600Z- 070416T2200Z/ NORTHERN BERKSHIRE- SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE-NORTHERN SARATOGA- NORTHERN WASHINGTON-EASTERN SCHENECTADY-SOUTHERN SARATOGA- EASTERN ALBANY-WESTERN RENSSELAER-EASTERN RENSSELAER- EASTERN GREENE-WESTERN COLUMBIA-EASTERN COLUMBIA-SOUTHEAST WARREN- SOUTHERN WASHINGTON-BENNINGTON- WESTERN WINDHAM-EASTERN WINDHAM- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...PITTSFIELD... NORTH ADAMS... GREAT BARRINGTON... LEE...LENOX...HOUSATONIC...SARATOGA SPRINGS... WHITEHALL...GRANVILLE... SCHENECTADY...ROTTERDAM...BALLSTON SPA... MECHANICVILLE...WATERFORD... ALBANY...TROY...HOOSICK FALLS... CATSKILL...COXSACKIE...ATHENS... CAIRO...JEFFERSON HEIGHTS... HUDSON... CHATHAM...GLENS FALLS...WEST GLENS FALLS... HUDSON FALLS...FORT EDWARD... CAMBRIDGE...GREENWICH...BENNINGTON... JACKSONVILLE...NEWFANE...BRATTLEBORO... WEST BRATTLEBORO... BELLOWS FALLS 416 AM EDT SAT APR 14 2007
...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBANY HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE CAPITAL DISTRICT...LAKE GEORGE SARATOGA REGION...SOUTHERN VERMONT... THE NORTHERN TACONICS AND THE BERKSHIRES...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON.

A SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE WARNING AREA FROM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH MONDAY WITH 9 INCHES OR MORE OF SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE. AT THIS TIME...THE HEAVIEST SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 1500 FEET. THE SNOW WILL LIKELY BEGIN AS RAIN IN THE VALLEYS ON SUNDAY...BEFORE CHANGING TO SNOW.

IN ADDITION TO THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOW...STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS MAY DOWN TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN WITH THE WIND DIRECTION SHIFTING FROM SOUTHEAST SUNDAY MORNING TO EAST SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND THEN NORTHERLY SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE. EAST AND NORTHEAST FACING SLOPES OF MOUNTAINS WILL BE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE.

THE SNOW AND WIND ARE EXPECTED TO RESULT FROM A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES SATURDAY EVENING WHICH WILL MOVE TO THE DELMARVA PENINSULA SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND THEN INTENSIFY RAPIDLY AS IT MOVES TOWARD LONG ISLAND SUNDAY EVENING. THE STORM MAY STALL OVER CENTRAL NEW ENGLAND ON MONDAY. A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THIS STORM TRACK WILL LIKELY RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN PRECIPITATION TYPE AND SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS.

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW... SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.