Battered East Braces for Wintry Wallop on 1st Day of Spring

A pair of back-to-back nor’easters is revving up to hit the East Coast on the official start of spring, when they’ll merge into the fourth storm to slam the region in a month.

The National Weather Service says the bulk of the dangerous, wind-driven snow and sleet is expected to wallop New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and parts of eastern Pennsylvania before heading off to Nantucket Island early Thursday.

Sleet and freezing rain are expected on Tuesday afternoon, the first day of spring. On Wednesday, about 6 to 9 inches of snow is expected, with some areas getting nearly a foot.

Officials are cautioning against unnecessary travel Wednesday afternoon and evening, when snow could be falling as much as 3 inches an hour.

Widespread power outages are possible, especially Wednesday, with gusts of up to 35 mph at times.