Major snow, ice storm to affect more than 150 million people in southern, eastern US
A massive winter storm is set to spread heavy snow and ice across more than two dozen states, threatening travel, power outages and dangerous cold from the South and Plains to the Northeast this weekend.
Ice accumulation from Texas to the Carolinas could lead to days of power outages and travel disruptions.
A high-impact winter storm will spread snow and ice across more than two dozen states from Texas through the Carolinas and Maine from Friday through the weekend. The amount and extent of snow and ice could cut power and disrupt travel for days, increasing the risk to lives and property.
"Potentially hundreds of thousands of people may go without electricity and heat for days,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said.
So much snow and sleet may occur that roads could become clogged in areas ill-equipped to handle even a light coating of snow, let alone several inches, from Texas and Oklahoma to the Mississippi Valley. Schools and child-care centers may be closed for days.
In areas where a thick glaze of ice forms, scores of trees and power lines may come down, and removing ice from streets, highways, parking lots and sidewalks may be difficult or impossible, especially where ice-melting supplies are limited. Utility crews could be overwhelmed by the scope of the storm.
Some highways, secondary roads and streets may be impassable for days across large portions of Texas and Oklahoma, as well as heavily populated areas of Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia.
During and after the storm, frigid conditions, with temperatures dropping into the 20s, teens and even the single digits, may cause pipes to burst and lead to additional property damage.
For example, temperatures are forecast to drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for 48-60 consecutive hours in Dallas, Texas. "It does not appear this cold wave will be as long-lasting or as intense as the historic and deadly February 2021 cold outbreak," Porter said. However, this cold wave will coincide with a major snow and ice storm."
"More than 4,000 flight cancellations are likely across the country this weekend," Porter added. Some airports that experience significant ice buildup or heavy snow may be forced to close for an extended period. As the storm's scope expands, the number of displaced aircraft and crews will increase exponentially, with substantial ripple effects well beyond the storm's direct reach.
A push of Arctic air from the north — in many cases, the coldest air of the winter so far — will determine the northern edge of the snow, the southern extent of the ice and where a mix of snow and ice occurs. In some areas, the prolonged nature of the storm could result in snow, ice, or a combination of both lasting well beyond 24 hours.
Some areas in the southern part of the nation could experience their worst snow or ice storm in years. In portions of the Northeast, this could end up being the biggest storm of the winter so far, aside from localized lake effect.
A swath of snow heavy enough to shovel and plow is setting up from northeastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas through Kansas and northern Oklahoma to southeastern New York, New Jersey and New England by the end of the weekend.
Major metro areas in the path of the storm include Dallas, Austin, Oklahoma City, Nashville, Atlanta, Charlotte, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City and Boston.
Some locations on the colder side of the storm could receive 6-12 inches of snow or more, where sleet, rain, or dry air is limited. More than 2 feet of snow may pile up in parts of the northwestern Virginia, West Virginia, and western Maryland mountains, where the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ is preliminarily slated at 30 inches.
Motorists and airline passengers are advised to check the forecast at various points in their journey to avoid getting stranded in the storm, which is forecast to expand from the Plains to the Atlantic Coast and north into portions of the Midwest and the interior Northeast.
On the southern edge of the storm, near the Gulf Coast and southern Atlantic Coast, a few thunderstorms may rumble, with the potential for localized severe weather, perhaps centered on Florida.
Temperatures may remain near or below freezing throughout much of the eastern United States, which could prolong the impacts of the storm into next week.
“Even after snow and ice subsides across the Southeast, some locations will be slow to rise above freezing,” noted AccuWeather Meteorologist Emma Belscher. “This will prolong impacts, as snow and ice will not be quick to melt and can easily refreeze overnight.”
High temperatures in the single digits and 10s across the Midwest and Northeast into early next week could also make snow removal difficult, raising the risk of hypothermia and frostbite for those outside for extended periods.
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