RI Weather Forecast: Storm Specifics Detailed As Region Braces

Now that it's been established Monday night's storm will be a major event, the forecast is drilling in on specifics. Snow will begin late Monday night and persist for as long as into Tuesday evening, making for an almost impossible Tuesday morning commute. Still, forecasters are hoping this storm brings less widespread power outages than the last two.

The snow is expected to start between 10-11 p.m. Monday across the region. It's expected to end sometime Tuesday evening - between 5-6 p.m. for most of Rhode Island.In between, it will be accumulating at rates as high as 2-3 inches, including during the Tuesday commute to work. You can see predicted timing maps below.

While everyone is expected to be hammered by more heavy snowfall, significant power outages, and damaging winds, one area in particular is of "concern" for forecasters. Towns inside of I-95 are expected to be hit by the worst of this storm, meaning blizzard conditions. The Newport area is at the highest risk of wet, heavy snow, which will couple with strong winds to make for more power outages.

The National Weather Service said Monday "power outages should NOT be nearly as widespread as the past two storms," which knocked out power for about millions in the Northeast.

The storm could bring 12-18 inches across Rhode Island. The NWS said the low-end forecast was 2-4 inches, while the high end was 19-22.

There is a winter storm warning across all of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Coastal waters are under a storm warning, while the coast is under a coastal flood advisory and the Cape a coastal flood warning. It's flood awareness week at the National Weather Service, and a good time to head over there for some tips, which include knowing your surroundings and making a plan.

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