The Weather Channel

by Chris Dolce and Jon Erdman, Meteorologists

A potent, unusual October snowstorm will target the Northeast Saturday. Below we have the forecast information you need to prepare for this quick, one-day event.

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Low pressure will intensify just off the East Coast on Saturday producing significant snow across the Northeast.

Below is our forecast accumulation map showing the heaviest amounts west and northwest of the I-95 corridor. In the pink shadings we could see 6 to 12 inches of heavy, wet snow. This includes cities such as Allentown, Pa., Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and Worcester, Mass.

While the heaviest amounts are most likely to fall northwest of I-95, some accumulations are also possible closer to the coast along the heavily-populated I-95 corridor from near Washington, D.C. to Boston. Precipitation will start as rain in these locations, but may change over to snow. How quickly this occurs and how much snow falls is dependent on the availability of enough cold air, which is difficult to forecast early in the season.

City forecasts: Washington to Boston corridor

Article: How rare is October snow?

Northeast snow forecast next 48 hours

Early season snowstorms are notorious for downed trees and power outages. Why?

First, warmer temperatures both at the surface and aloft lead to wet snow, which weighs more than dry snow. Wet snowflakes can also stick together into large aggregates.

Then, you have trees still with leaves! According to the map below, fall foliage is now reaching peak from the central Appalachians into the Delaware Valley and southern New England, precisely those areas forecast to receive wet, heavy snow Saturday. Put simply, trees with leaves have a greater surface area to catch heavy, wet snow, increasing the load on branches.

We saw this earlier this week both in the Front Range of the Rockies, and also Thursday and Thursday night in parts of Upstate New York and interior New England.

Fall Foliage Status | More Foliage Maps

If that wasn't enough, as with any intensifying low off the Eastern Seaboard, winds will be an issue, particularly Saturday night.

While the strongest winds will confine themselves from the Delmarva Peninsula to coastal New England, it will still be windy over areas also seeing accumulating heavy, wet snow.

Saturday night's strongest winds

Add the force of wind to the weight of heavy, wet snow on trees still with leaves, not to mention power lines, and you'll likely see numerous downed trees and power outages, particularly in the areas with heaviest snow accumulation! These power outages could linger into Sunday, or perhaps longer!

Areas of greatest power outage potential shaded in red.

Make plans now for a potential power outage. Make sure cell phones and other battery-powered devices are charged!

WeatherReady tips: Generator safety