'Significant system' could bring snow next week

Spring is on the horizon, but winter may show up for one last hurrah.

More snow may be heading into the area Tuesday, March 20, the first day of spring, and continue well into Wednesday, March 21, according to early weather forecasts.

On Friday, March 16, meteorologists couldn't pin down many details, including the amount of snowfall predicted or even the type of precipitation.

However, forecast models show that a significant amount of snow could be heading York County's way, according to Joe Cera, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in State College. 

"We're looking at a significant system coming to the region Tuesday through Wednesday," he said. 

Whether that system reveals itself as snow or rain showers depends on a number of variables, including temperature, Cera said, and it's simply too early to make a confirmation.

Another factor is the current location of storm.

It's currently in the Gulf of Mexico, and it could take on a dramatically different form by the time it reaches the Northeast, according to Brett Rossio, a meteorologist for AccuWeather in State College. 

"That's why there's a lot less certainty," Rossio said.

"The potential is there, but there are so many players on the meteorogical chess table," he said.

There is even the possibility that the system could be ejected "right out into the sea," he said, depending on jet stream activity.

The National Weather Service is forecasting a 70 percent chance of snow or rain on Tuesday, with a predicted high in the mid-40s. 

The precipitation will likely last into Wednesday morning, where it will level off, turning into scattered showers or snow that may last into Thursday, according to the forecast.