Colossal winter storm unleashing snow, ice from Plains to mid-Atlantic
Over a dozen states could see travel-snarling ice and snow as a major storm tracks across the United States.
AccuWeather’s Alex DaSilva gives the latest updates on the major winter storm hitting the Plains and Midwest regions of the United States, bringing not just heavy snowfall, but also freezing rain.
A massive storm will continue to spread wintry weather to millions of Americans through the weekend into early this week, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.
"Over a dozen states are forecast to be impacted by one or more aspects of this storm," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.
The storm that emerged from the Rockies this weekend will deliver a far-reaching swath of ice and snow across the middle of the country and into the East. Portions of the south can also expect severe thunderstorms through Monday.
Snow, ice to sweep Central states
The intrusion of bitterly cold, Arctic air into the middle of the country will set the stage for wintry weather in the Plains. Snowflakes could fly as far south as northern Oklahoma. Meanwhile, enough snow to shovel and plow will extend for about 1,000 miles from central Nebraska to Ohio through early Monday.
"The accumulating snow, which could approach or exceed a half of a foot is expected to bring travel to a stand still in places like Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Cincinnati," said Buckingham.
An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 30 inches is most likely to occur somewhere from northeastern Kansas through northern Missouri to west-central Illinois.
"A major freezing rain event is expected to continue, making for dangerous ice accretions across the middle Mississippi Valley and Ohio Valley through Sunday night," Buckingham said. Communities from Springfield, Missouri, to Lexington, Kentucky, could be in for a substantial amount of ice that brings dangerous travel conditions.
Power outages, extensive tree damage and lengthy travel days will be a concern in the worst-hit areas.
“Some places will have snow and ice then switch back to snow. That’s a bad combination. Heavy snow and ice accretion can bring down tree limbs and power lines,” AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin warned.
The power could be out for several days in some communities when dangerously cold air invades in the wake of the storm. There may be a great need for shelters to be set up to account for the affected population.
Even a trace of icing can lead to a coating on cars and cause slippery spots, especially on bridges and overpasses. Untreated roads or sidewalks could be slick for much of the weekend.
"It will be very cold after this storm. The ice will not melt quickly," DePodwin warned. This could lead to slower clean-up from the storm.
Several pulses of cold, Arctic air are expected through January, which could pave the way for more wintry weather in the same zones as January continues.
Disruptive snow, ice in Northeast and mid-Atlantic to start week
After dumping snow and ice across the center of the country, portions of the East Coast will be next to endure the winter weather.
“AccuWeather snow experts are increasingly concerned about dangerous travel impacts from heavy snow across parts of the mid-Atlantic, including Washington, D.C., and the Baltimore metropolitan areas," said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter.
Accumulating snow is expected in northern Virginia, but also extending as far north as central Pennsylvania, Ohio and New Jersey. Other major metro areas such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh can expect several inches of accumulation.
Locations across central Virginia and the Carolinas are unlikely to see much snow accumulation, but cold air will create sleet and freezing rain instead.
Continued pulses of Arctic air in the wake of this storm will likely keep any snow or ice around for several days after the end of the storm. The lack of warm air will also leave open the door for more wintry storms to sweep through the region into mid-January.
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