Next major storm threat looms for Northeast on the heels of historic, deadly weekend snowstorm

Name: Next major storm threat looms for Northeast on the heels of historic, deadly weekend snowstorm
Uploaded: 2026-01-26T13:19:55-05:00
Duration: 2 min 35 s
Description: As much of the Northeast digs out from the biggest snowstorm in half a decade, New York, Philadelphia, and Boston could all be on track to see another major system on its heels. The FOX Forecast Center is closely monitoring an evolving weather pattern around the Northern Hemisphere that could open the door for a potential nor'easter this upcoming weekend.

Next major storm threat looms for the Northeast on the heels of the historic, deadly weekend snowstorm

As much of the Northeast digs out from the biggest snowstorm in half a decade, New York, Philadelphia, and Boston could all be on track to see another major system on its heels. The FOX Forecast Center is closely monitoring an evolving weather pattern around the Northern Hemisphere that could open the door for a potential nor'easter this upcoming weekend.

As much of the Northeast digs out from the biggest snowstorm in half a decade, New York, Philadelphia, and Boston could all be on track to see another major system on its heels.

DEADLY HISTORIC WINTER STORM: ICE LEAVES LIFE-THREATENING POWER OUTAGES ACROSS SOUTH, SNOW BURIES NORTHEAST

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 25: A person walks through Boston Public Garden during heavy snow on January 25, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. ((Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images))

Workers clear snow in Copley Square during a snowstorm in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 25, 2026. ((Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP via Getty Images))

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 25: A taxi driver clears snow off his cab while stopped at a traffic light on Fifth Avenue during a snowstorm on January 25, 2026, in New York City. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

A Boeing 737 American Airlines passenger aircraft is parked at gate on the tarmac of LaGuardia airport in New York on January 25, 2026. ((Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images))

NEW YORK, NEW YORK- JANUARY 25: A passerby crosses the street during a snowstorm on January 25, 2026 in New York City. A low-pressure system is sweeping across the eastern two-thirds of the country, from Texas to New York, dumping up to two feet of snow, coupled with high winds and freezing temperatures, causing flight delays and cancellations in many regions. ((Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images))

Snow falls in Central Park in New York City on January 25, 2026. ((Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP via Getty Images))

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 25: Workers clear Times Square of snow during a snowstorm on January 25, 2026 in New York City. A massive winter storm is bringing frigid temperatures, ice, and snow to nearly 200 million Americans. ((Photo by Andres Kudacki/Getty Images))

WASHINGTON- A man walks along the National Mall as snow falls in Washington, DC, on January 25, 2026. ((Photo by Amid FARAHI / AFP via Getty Images))

New York City recorded 11.4 inches of snow in Central Park early Monday, while Boston sat at 16.7 inches of snow with more in the forecast.

WHAT IS A NOR'EASTER?

New York City is investigating seven deaths that are potentially weather-related.

In Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, the coroner's office said three people died in separate medical incidents while they were cleaning up snow on Sunday.

Meanwhile, life-threatening temperatures are now the focus of states across the Northeast as a large dip in the jet stream parks over the eastern US, ushering in days of Arctic temperatures associated with the polar vortex.

The Arctic air will refreeze existing ice and snow, which means the impressive snow totals from this weekend will likely not melt this week and freezing temperatures will likely remain through the end of the month.

ARCTIC PLUNGE: POLAR VORTEX LOCKS IN SNOW, ICE AND LIFE-THREATENING COLD BEHIND HISTORIC CROSS-COUNTRY STORM

Unlike the sprawling cross-country nature of the historic storm this past weekend, this next threat would be a coastal system.

The FOX Forecast Center is closely monitoring an evolving weather pattern around the Northern Hemisphere that could open the door for a potential nor'easter this upcoming weekend.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, a robust disturbance in the upper layers of the atmosphere could get caught up in this massive dip in the jet stream and potentially spawn a storm off the Mid-Atlantic or Southeast coast.

WHAT IS THE JET STREAM?

However, there is a large degree of uncertainty among computer forecast models regarding this outcome.

FOX Weather Meteorologists Bob Van Dillen and Jane Minar noted Monday that both the traditional European and the AI-driven European forecast models indicated more impacts for the Mid-Atlantic coast, while the American GFS forecast model was less bullish on a major impact.

But should these forecast ingredients come together, it could set the stage for another snowstorm for the northeastern portion of the Interstate 95 corridor, which had been suffering from a decade-long snow drought in many locales.

Ahead of the weekend, the jet stream pattern will allow a weak clipper system to move out of Canada and bring lake-effect snow to the Great Lakes and western New York.

Check back for updates on this developing story.