Nor'easter storm brings rain to Northeast US cities and first snow to higher ground

A storm system moving north from the Mid-Atlantic is expected to strengthen into a nor'easter, with rain and gusty winds across the Northeast beginning Thursday. At higher elevations of New York, northeastern Pennsylvania and northern New England, the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center expects rain to change to snow overnight into Friday, likely leaving roads hazardous. For Philadelphia, New York and Boston, rain is more likely than snow.

Tornado warnings were issued Thursday afternoon across parts of the region, including one near Kennedy Airport in New York. Heavy lake-effect snow is forecast in Michigan's Upper Peninsula through Friday. Polar air is forecast to move in behind the storm across much of the central and eastern US, and temperatures are expected to fall well below normal by Friday.

By Saturday morning, forecasters expect freezing temperatures and a widespread frost and freeze in the Deep South. The Weather Prediction Center's Marc Chenard says higher elevations could see 2 to 4 inches of snow, and some areas more than 6 inches. Chenard says below-average temperatures are expected through Tuesday, and AccuWeather says some places could see their first snowflakes of the season.

For people driving in the region, the Weather Prediction Center says overnight rain changing to snow into Friday will likely make roads hazardous on higher ground across New York, northeastern Pennsylvania and northern New England. AccuWeather's Carl Erickson told the New York Post that up to an inch of precipitation could cause street flooding and drainage problems in New York City's boroughs. The Boston Globe expects about a half inch of rain in Greater Boston.