One word describes Tuesday’s weather forecast across central Pa.: miserable

Most of the eastern and southern United States, including central Pennsylvania, are expected to be under weather watches Tuesday as a storm strengthens in the middle of the country and heads northeast.

The good news: It will be over well before Thanksgiving. The even better news: Areas across the eastern half of the country that have been experiencing drought conditions, including parts of south-central Pa. and specifically York County, might see this storm take a big bite out of their precipitation deficit with upwards of 2 inches of rain forecast in a period of about 18 hours.

Across central Pa., clouds are forecast to thicken tonight with temperatures at or below freezing by sunrise. Once that rain shield reaches the area, the precipitation could start as a mixture of sleet, freezing rain and rain in some areas and accumulate to around a half-inch in areas such as Altoona and State College to the north and Bedford to the west.

A winter weather advisory is already in effect for a swath of Pennsylvania that includes Johnstown and Somerset, for slippery conditions from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. because of a light coating of snow and ice.

Our Tuesday storm will bring a few hours of wintry precip prior to transitioning to rain. A few slick spots are possible, primarily across the Laurel Highlands, where freezing rain is most likely. We expect snow/sleet accum (coating-1") will mainly be on grassy surfaces. #PAwx pic.twitter.com/ttvVAxhgzn

— NWS State College November 20, 2023

The National Weather Service (NWS) is predicting rain to start falling around 10 a.m. and pick up in intensity after lunch. By then, any wintry mix should turn into a soaking rain except for areas farther north, where it could last another couple of hours before turning to all rain by mid-afternoon. Across the area, the winds will pick up, with winds averaging 25 to 35 mph and gusts as high as 45 mph, according to AccuWeather. That heavy rain is forecast to continue into the evening before it starts to taper off around midnight.

Elsewhere, thunderstorms and possible tornadoes are making for dangerous conditions across the South on Monday night and Tuesday. Across New York and New England, 3 to 6 inches of snow is forecast to fall on the Adirondacks and Green Mountains while from 6 to 12 inches is expected from central New Hampshire to much of northwestern Maine on Tuesday night and Wednesday, AccuWeather says .

The rest of the week is shaping up to be much tamer, with partly sunny to sunny skies forecast from Wednesday through the weekend. Highs will be around 50 degrees on Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day, and a few degrees colder on Friday into the weekend. Anyone getting up early on Black Friday will be greeted by sunshine and temperatures around freezing.

All that said, here’s how the seven-day forecast breaks down for Harrisburg and vicinity, per the NWS:

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. East wind 3 to 6 mph.

Rain and sleet, mainly after 1pm. High near 43. Southeast wind 7 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Little or no sleet accumulation expected.

Tuesday Night

Rain. Low around 42. Southeast wind 11 to 16 mph becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Partly sunny, with a high near 53. West wind 7 to 11 mph.

Wednesday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Northwest wind around 10 mph.

Thanksgiving Day

Sunny, with a high near 51.

Thursday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.

Partly sunny, with a high near 45.

Friday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30.

Partly sunny, with a high near 44.

Saturday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27.

Partly sunny, with a high near 43.

Sunday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30.

Partly sunny, with a high near 45.