Record setting storm weakening in Northeast
James Wilson, Lead Meteorologist, The Weather Channel
Feb. 27, 2010 12:19 am ET

The historic and record setting storm system that wrecked havoc in the Northeast has stalled near Long Island and will now slowly wind down through the rest of the weekend.

Quite a storm it has been with record setting snowfall from 1 to 2, locally 3 feet reported across northeast Pennsylvania to the Catskills of New York into northwest to coastal New Jersey and right into downtown New York City.

In New York City at Central Park, there was 20.9 inches reported with this amazing storm. This was the 4th largest snowstorm in their long history that goes all the way back to 1869.

In the month of February New York City has had 36.9 inches of snow, setting the all-time snowiest month on record.

The heavy wet snow took down trees and power lines with as many as 1 million people without power during the height of the storm. Thousands of flights in and out of the Northeast airports had to be cancelled due to the snow.

Meanwhile, on the warm side of the storm there was heavy rain with 3 to 5 inches of rain all across central to southern New England, locally 8 inches plus in southeast Maine that brought large scale flooding, especially on streets and roads throughout eastern New England. Combine that with wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph and there were widespread power outages and local tree and power line damage.

What is left of this mighty storm will meander its way along southern New England this weekend continuing to weaken and slowly dissipate by Sunday. There will be some occasional light snow swirling around this low as it goes along the coast Long Island to Cape Cod.

A band of light to moderate snow behind the wilting storm will linger from Michigan to the Ohio Valley into the mountains of West Virginia through the weekend and then slowly dissipate. Accumulations of 1 to 5 inches are likely, with locally 4 to 6 inches in the mountains in West Virginia.

Use caution traveling overnight into Saturday throughout the Northeast as the weather lingers in the region and some roads are slow to be repaired or plowed.

Fast moving Gulf storm with bring quick moving showers and thunderstorms across Florida on Saturday. This storm will then quickly emerge as a new Atlantic storm moving from Florida to south of Nova Scotia Sunday and will bring more gusty winds to New England by the second half of the weekend but much less than what we just went through.

Meanwhile, in the West a strong Pacific storm will slam ashore overnight into the Weekend. This storm will power heavy rains and possible thunderstorms through California into the Southwest.

A big concern for flash flooding and possible mudslides for the burn areas around the Los Angeles Basin on Saturday and Saturday Night with watches posted and recommendations from local authorities to keep yourself protected.

In the mountains it will be heavy snow with 1 to 2 feet possible from the northern Sierra into the central and southern Wasatch and then southern Rockies through the weekend.

Stay tuned to The Weather Channel and Weather.Com for coverage on the Northeast storm, Florida storm, and new powerful Western storm throughout the weekend.