Complex Storm System, Big Ice Affects East

UPDATE: Below is the NWS advisories map, showing the breadth of the storms for the next few days (purple and white being winter-related).

.

A complex winter storm system will affect the East during the next two days, and (since I didn't warn you last time) there is the potential for another ice storm with widespread power outages. Already Tuesday morning the Forums users are reporting sleet, snow and rain across the Northeast. (If you'd like to tell me what it's doing where you are, please post there).

However, this storm is a little different -- it isn't a heavy rain system powered by a Nor'easter like last time, but rather a low pressure system heading up the Appalachians, so I wouldn't anticipate the widespread large amounts of freezing rain that we had last time. However, there is another storm on the horizon Friday which could repeat the ice storm problems that we saw last week in New England.

All in all, it's going to be a nasty week-before-Christmas in much of the nation. An internal memo at AccuWeather yesterday said "There is an active storm track from coast to coast. This is about a busy of a weather pattern we will ever see in the winter."

That said, let's check the population map. As we found out last time, what makes for a major ice storm is heavy freezing rain over populous areas. Major metro areas currently in our ice map will be... Houston, Little Rock, Memphis, Cincinnati, Columbus, Pittsburgh, and maybe northwest Boston again. If the ice is heavy enough, we could still see several hundred thousand power outages with this storm, if Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are affected.

Because we're dealing with several different areas of precip moving through over the next 24-36 hours, this will be a challenging forecast, and I suggest (as I always do) that you check the Weather Headlines at right for updated versions of the map above, and keep an eye on your local AccuPOP forecast which will tell you how much ice (freezing rain or sleet), snow, and rain will fall in your area, and when. If the 24 hours on AccuWeather.com isn't enough for your planning purposes, consider a 30-day trial to Premium, where you'll have access to 4 days' worth.