Dangerous cold, winds and freeze-up to threaten areas hit hard by Blizzard of 2017
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Travel delays and difficulties will linger in the wake of the major nor'easter as cold air, gusty winds and a freeze-up plunge across the eastern United States.
The storm has been responsible for up to 42 inches of snow, gusts to hurricane force and coastal flooding in the Northeast. The departing powerful storm will continue to pull a blast of frigid air from Canada through Thursday.
Following thousands of flight cancellations from Monday to Wednesday, flights should return to normal from Thursday to Friday.
Gusty winds may cause minor flight delays at some airports through Thursday. Wind gusts can reach 40 mph through Thursday afternoon.
Where the power has recently been cut or is still out following high wind events earlier this month, blustery conditions in the aftermath of the storm will create hardship for some households. Some people will struggle to keep warm.
Actual temperatures will dip into the single digits and teens F over the northern tier, in the central Appalachians and in some of the outlying areas, where there is snow on the ground. In the major cities, lows will be in the 20s the next few nights.
Damaging freeze reaches deep into southern US
"Freezing temperatures will reach as far to the south as north-central Florida in the wake of the storm," according to AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok.
Lows Thursday morning set some records and ranged from the teens in northwestern North Carolina and upstate South Carolina to the middle 20s in north-central Florida.
In Savannah, Georgia, the record of 26 set in 1890 was tied Thursday morning.
The freezing air can damage nursery stock, blossoms and young foliage that have begun to emerge in the South, due to the unusual warmth during February.
Temperatures will begin to trend upward late this week and this weekend.
Other lingering hazards in blizzard's wake
While the March sun will cause some natural melting of the snow during the day, untreated wet and slushy areas will quickly freeze at night.
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Motorists and pedestrians will need to keep an eye out for patches of ice, which may appear to be wet.
Large piles of snow near intersections will make for dangerous conditions.
When shoveling, avoid piling a large amount of snow at the entrances to driveways. Remember to keep fire hydrants free from snow. When possible, avoid parking on streets where snow has made passages narrow and road surfaces remain icy.
As the day's first light reaches snow atop buildings and bridges, melting could cause chunks of ice to fall to the road or sidewalk below.
While temperatures will moderate throughout the region prior to the end of the week, a storm threatens to bring a period of snow and wintry mix to parts of the Midwest into Friday and the Northeast from Friday night to early Sunday.
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