After being hit by snowy weather Saturday, the Lehigh Valley is facing damaging winds and possibly even a thunderstorm Sunday.
The National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey has issued a high wind warning in effect from 1 p.m. Sunday to 6 p.m. Monday. Winds between 25 to 35 mph, with gusts of between 50 to 60 mph, are expected.
“Potentially significant impacts possible from a high wind event expected to impact the region beginning this afternoon through Monday,” the weather service said in its area forecast discussion.
Damaging winds combined wet soils will topple trees and power lines, leading to “widespread” power outages, the weather service warns. Travel could also become difficult for high-profile vehicles.
People are advised to be on the lookout for downed trees and power lines.
The high winds will coincide with rainy weather throughout the day, and a thunderstorm is even possible between noon and 5 p.m., according to the weather service.
Sunday’s high temperature will be around 47 degrees in Allentown.
The rain will taper off in the evening, but the strong winds will remain and temperatures will drop to 25.
Presidents Day on Monday will be sunny, but still windy, with a high of 32.
Cooler weather will then settle into the Lehigh Valley for the next couple of days before a potentially significant snow storm Wednesday and Thursday.
“The focus in the long term is on the coastal storm Wednesday through Thursday which has the potential to bring snow, especially to the coastal plains,” the NWS said.
The current model has a chance for more than 4 inches of snow north and west of Interstate 95 corridor between 7 a.m. Wednesday and 7 a.m. Friday with higher amounts closer to the New Jersey shore. There’s a possibility that totals could reach more than 8 inches.
While NWS meteorologists were in agreement that the storm later in the week will remain close to the coast from Florida to North Carolina before tracking further to the north and east, the amount of moisture inland remains to be seen.
“However, where there remains uncertainty is some models depict this as a slow moving system that is thus able to advect moisture much further inland and thus has a larger footprint of precip to the left of the low, bringing snow to our area from Wednesday night through Thursday evening,” the NWS said. “Other guidance shows a fast moving system, affecting our region from the later half of the day on Wednesday through Thursday morning.”
Here is the extended forecast from the National Weather Service:
Sunday: Showers and possible thunderstorms between noon and 5 p.m., then a chance of showers after 5 p.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 47. Breezy with an east wind of 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest between 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 60 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Sunday Night: A chance of showers before 7 p.m. Mostly cloudy with a low around 25. Windy, with a west wind 25 to 30 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of a inch.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 32. Windy, with a west wind 20 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 14. Wind chill with values as low as zero. Breezy with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 27. West wind 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 11.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 29.
Wednesday Night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Thursday: A chance of snow before 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy with a low around 18.
Friday: Mostly sunny, high around 33.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, low around 18.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 34.
Originally Published: February 16, 2025 at 10:58 AM EST
