Major Berkshire Storm Saturday…Blizzard, Nor’easter, Bomb Cyclone No One Knows…Yet

The major snow event that municipalities from Great Barrington to Pittsfield to North Adams are bracing for Friday night into Saturday "remains much uncertainty in the expected track of the storm which impacts where it snows and where the heaviest snow would occur" according to the National Weather Service in Albany.

The unpredictability of this storm has forecasters puzzled about the exact path and impact this storm will have. What they are confident about is this storm will dump a significant amount of snow on the northeast. In addition to nor'easter and blizzard, the term bomb cyclone is also a possibility according to meteorologists.

In simple terms, a "bomb cyclone" is a winter hurricane. It occurs when a storm's barometric pressure drops at least 24 millibars within a 24-hour period. What's a millibar? It is the term used to measure pressure. The higher the pressure the less impact the storm will have. The lower the pressure the more powerful the storm. If this storm drops 24 millibars in 24 hours we are in for a major weather event.

Before the Berkshires deal with whatever Mother Nature has in store for us this weekend, the Berkshires will have to deal with frigid temperatures tonight into tomorrow. The Berkshires can expect temps to drop near -5 below zero tonight.

This weekend's storm is so unpredictable the National Weather Service doesn't even offer an estimate of snowfall just over 48 hours before the storm is expected to start impacting the Berkshires. We will continue to keep you updated on this weekend's impending storm. The latest NWS forecast is below.

Tonight

Mostly clear, with a low around -5. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Thursday

Increasing clouds, with a high near 22. Wind chill values as low as -5. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 9 mph in the morning.

Thursday Night

Increasing clouds, with a low around 13. South wind 6 to 8 mph.

Friday

A chance of snow showers. Cloudy, with a high near 29. South wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday Night

A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 11. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Saturday

A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 17. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Saturday Night

A chance of snow before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 3. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Sunday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 19.

Sunday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 5.

Monday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 27.

Monday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 12.

Tuesday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 34.

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Filed Under: Berkshires, blizzard, bomb cyclone, Pittsfield, storm

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