Dangerous snow and ice storm to snarl travel across the Midwest, Northeast
A developing storm will continue to spread winter impacts across the North into late week, resulting in hazardous travel conditions and a heightened power outage risk.
A winter storm covered the Northeast and Midwest regions of the United States with snow and ice on Feb. 5-6. Sightings of lightning and thunder snow have also been reported.
A widespread and impactful storm traversing across the Midwest and Northeast will continue to spread snow, freezing rain and sleet across several states through Thursday.
Roadway and air travel can be severely impacted from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic and New England coastlines as this storm trudges eastward. Power outages are a major concern due to the buildup of freezing rain on trees and power lines, followed by windy conditions sweeping in behind the storm.
Snowflakes will continue to spread through southern Canada and into portions of New England as the storm progresses offshore Thursday, primarily bringing the highest snowfall amounts to the Adirondack, Green and White mountains.
On the warmer, southern flank of this storm, rain and thunderstorms will soak locations from the Tennessee Valley to the North Carolina coastline. Some thunderstorms that developed on Wednesday were feisty enough to produce ping-pong to golfball size hail.
Ice, snow bringing widespread impacts
Along the leading edge of this storm, moisture clashed with cold air across the Midwest, Ohio Valley and Northeast, producing a corridor of sleet and freezing rain.
"A storm sweeping across the central and eastern United States will bring a swath of hazardous freezing rain through Thursday," warned AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.
Significant ice accumulations above 0.10 of an inch can impact locations from Pennsylvania to eastern West Virginia, Maryland and northwestern Virginia.
The core of the ice began to fell early Thursday morning across this corridor, spelling trouble for morning commuters along heavily traveled roadways like interstates 76, 80, 81 and 90. Road restrictions were put in place across much of Pennsylvania, closing major roadways to all commercial vehicles.
Portions of the I-95 corridor at risk
Most of the plowable snow that falls across New England through Thursday will be confined to the mountainous terrain. However, at least an inch of snow can fall as far south as the I-95 corridor.
Conditions through Thursday morning in the New York City metropolitan area will continue to be closely monitored, AccuWeather forecasters say. Snowflakes began to spread into the Big Apple during the early morning hours.
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Throughout Thursday, temperatures will rise as this storm advances to the New England coastline, cresting the 40-degree F mark by the afternoon, helping to melt any snow that fell earlier.
Blustery winds to sweep in behind the storm
As the storm departs the Great Lakes Thursday, winds upwards of 40 mph will pick up from Wisconsin to Michigan. Fallen snow from Wednesday and Wednesday night can be blown across roadways and briefly limit visibility.
On Friday, winds will peak along the higher terrain in the Laurel Highlands and northern areas in Pennsylvania before ramping up across the Green and White Mountains across New England. The AccuWeather Local StormMax™ for wind Thursday to Friday is 65 mph.
More winter storms to follow
As this initial storm concludes Thursday and winds ramp up, AccuWeather meteorologists warn that another storm will follow through the Northeast in close succession by this weekend.
Similar impacts are expected with snow, ice and a corridor of rain or thunderstorms as the next storm advances from the Central states to East Coast Friday night to Sunday morning.
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