A storm that spun up a rare November tornado in Delaware on Thursday is bringing a raw, windy Friday to the Northeast, with rain along the Interstate 95 corridor and the first wet snow of the season in the interior mountains. Behind it, the coldest air of the fall so far is spreading across the eastern third of the country.
A tornado and hail on Thursday
On Thursday afternoon, the storm produced several reports of damaging winds and large hail, plus a tornado near Wilmington, Delaware, according to The Weather Channel. AccuWeather had warned that some areas could see a rare November thunderstorm as the system moved through.
Friday and Saturday: rain, wind and mountain snow
Rain falls Friday across much of the I-95 corridor, including Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Boston, with lingering wind in southern New England, the New York City area and New Jersey, The Weather Channel said. Gusts up to 30 mph are possible.
In the higher terrain, rain turns to wet snow. The best chance of accumulation is in the hills and mountains of the interior Northeast, including the Green and White Mountains, the Berkshires, the Adirondacks and the Catskills, and along the Appalachians from West Virginia to western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.
- Many higher elevations: a slushy coating to a couple of inches, mostly on grass and unpaved surfaces, according to AccuWeather.
- Highest ridges: several inches or more in West Virginia, northern Pennsylvania, the Adirondacks and the Green and White Mountains.
- Suburbs: wet flakes may mix in over the northern and western suburbs of New York City and Boston on Friday, AccuWeather said, but are unlikely to stick.
Lake-effect rain and snow showers linger Saturday, with snow continuing in the Appalachians and parts of northern New England. Onshore winds could bring minor coastal flooding at high tide, though forecasters do not expect a high-impact nor’easter.
Travel and power
AccuWeather said rain, low clouds and thunderstorms could delay flights into Saturday morning, and snow, fog and de-icing could slow departures at some inland, higher-elevation airports. Heavy, wet snow on tree limbs could cause isolated power outages in the highest terrain. The Weather Channel advised drivers to slow down and leave extra following distance, especially at night when roads may turn slushy.
The cold settles in
Highs will stay in the 40s across much of the Midwest and Northeast through the weekend, and the first freeze of the season could reach much of the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama. Frost and freeze alerts cover parts of Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and northern Georgia through Saturday morning. Our Life desk has a first-freeze checklist for plants, pipes and pets.
The chill marks a sharp turn after an unusually warm start to November that Newsweek linked to a strengthening El Niño. NOAA expects a winter with a warmer-than-average northern U.S. and a wetter-than-average South and parts of the Northeast, Newsweek reported.
What to watch next
The chill is expected to linger in the East into early next week. Watch local National Weather Service offices for any frost, freeze or winter weather alerts in your area. Upstormed News will keep following the forecast.
Why it matters for families
Friday travel may take longer than usual, especially on mountain roads and at busy Northeast airports. Check flight status before leaving home, give yourself extra time on the road, and keep a charged phone and a warm layer in the car. If you lose power, never run a generator indoors.
Did you see your first snowflakes of the season this week? Tell us where in the comments.
Read more: SS United States sinks off Florida, becoming the world’s largest artificial reef
Sources: The Weather Channel, “Nor’easter brings first snow, freezes plus a rare tornado” (November 13, 2026); AccuWeather, “Northeast storm bringing rain, high-elevation snow into Saturday” (November 2026); Newsweek, “Winter weather storm map” (November 10, 2026)
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