Dangerous winds will kick in Friday across the Northeast, impacting truckers heading to busy freight markets in the region.
A low-pressure system moving through the Northeast is producing scattered rain showers. The pressure difference between this low and a high-pressure system over the Great Lakes will be strong enough to create very windy conditions.
Gusts from the southwest will range from 45 to 65 mph from the Interstate 95 corridor across the interior Northeast and much of New England. This includes the major metropolitan areas of Washington; Baltimore; Philadelphia; New York; Hartford, Connecticut; Boston; and Providence, Rhode Island, where the risk of rollovers will be high much of the day and into the early evening.
This will impact drivers heading to the busy freight markets of Elizabeth, New Jersey, as well as Allentown and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. There’s plenty of freight available in these areas. According to the latest FreightWaves SONAR data, all three markets have an elevated Outbound Tender Volume Index (OTVI), a measure of available loads being offered by shippers to carriers. They’re in the top 10 out of 135 markets.
The winds could also temporarily delay some air cargo, as well as loading and unloading of freight at ports.
Other weekend weather
Look for areas of heavy snowfall Friday in parts of the Rockies, in addition to the Wasatch Range in Utah. Some high elevations could see 6 to 12 inches, especially above 8,000 feet.
Severe thunderstorm winds, large hail and a few tornadoes could return to the South. The risk Saturday stretches from the Arklatex to parts of the Midwest. Sunday the threat shifts to the east, possibly impacting areas from Atlanta and the southern Appalachians to the mid-Atlantic.
Look for weather updates throughout the week on the FreightWaves website and social media accounts.
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