A powerful late-season storm system is tracking toward the Northeast corridor, with the National Weather Service issuing winter storm warnings for a six-state region stretching from Pennsylvania through Maine. Forecasters are describing the system as unusual for early May, with temperatures expected to drop 25 to 30 degrees below seasonal averages across the region.

What the models show

The European and American models have converged on a track that brings the heaviest precipitation — expected to fall as snow above 1,500 feet — through western New England overnight Thursday into Friday morning. Boston and Providence face a mixed precipitation event; the freeze line is close enough to the coast that small changes in the storm's track will determine whether those cities see snow, sleet, or rain.

The cold behind the storm

The precipitation is only part of the story. An Arctic air mass trailing the system will push overnight lows to near-record territory for early May across a broad swath of the interior Northeast. Some stations in upstate New York and Vermont are forecast to reach the low teens — temperatures more typical of January than May.

Agricultural impact

State agriculture departments in New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts have issued advisories for fruit growers and small farms, where early-season crops and fruit tree blossoms are vulnerable to hard frost. The timing — following a warm April that advanced crop development by two to three weeks in some areas — makes the exposure more acute than it would be in a typical cold snap.

What to expect through the weekend

The storm clears by Friday afternoon, but the cold air lingers. Weekend temperatures across the interior Northeast will remain 15 to 20 degrees below average, with another reinforcing shot of Arctic air possible late Sunday. The full warm-up is not expected until the middle of next week.