Snow, freeze-up to follow severe weather in part of southern US
By
Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Dec 31, 2021 1:50 PM EDT
|
Updated Jan 2, 2022 11:41 AM EDT
The same storm system partially responsible for high winds that triggered destructive wildfires in Colorado Thursday will not only bring a major outbreak of severe weather to portions of the southern United States this weekend but also a weather wakeup call in the form of plunging temperatures and potentially hazardous winter weather from the zone from the middle Mississippi Valley to the southern Appalachians and even part of the mid-Atlantic coast. Up to 3 inches of snow can fall in Washington, D.C.
As if the risk of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes was not bad enough, the sharp temperature drop will lead to a quick freeze-up this weekend into early next week in parts of the south-central and southeastern U.S., AccuWeather meteorologists warn. There can even be a bit of snow that accompanies the change to much colder conditions.
Record warmth will continue in the south-central region and much of the Southeast states this weekend, but temperatures will plummet to well-below-average levels in a matter of hours. For example, after a record high in the 85 F Saturday in Houston, temperatures in the mid-40s are forecast for Sunday morning, and AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures are expected to settle in the 20s and 30s.
Texas will escape problems from any snow or a flash freeze, but that won't be the case for areas farther to the north over the South Central states.
Little Rock, Arkansas, experienced temperatures in the 60s much of Saturday as the high hit 70 F while temperatures climbed into the 70s in Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee, topping out near 80. Cold air will waste no time blasting through the region, as well as much of the zone from the southern Plains to the middle and lower Mississippi Valley and the Ohio and Tennessee valleys Sunday.
In the wake of what may be inches of rain from the storm system into this weekend, standing water is likely to exist in many places as cold air moves in. After temperatures plunged in Little Rock Saturday night, they may struggle to rise above freezing Sunday and then dip back into the lower 20s Sunday night. While slightly higher temperatures are possible around Memphis during the day Sunday, snowflakes may be flying at times over the region. Even though little or no accumulation is likely, some areas that remain wet during the daylight hours can freeze at night, unless treated by road crews applying ice-melting compounds.
Farther to the northeast, a separate and smaller storm than the one that will trigger severe weather and heavy rain will likely produce mainly flurries in parts of Arkansas, western Tennessee and northern Mississippi for a time Sunday. This storm could gain a bit more moisture, while colder air tries to race in from middle Tennessee and Kentucky to eastern Tennessee, northern Georgia, western and northern North Carolina, West Virginia, southern Ohio and part of southern Virginia Sunday and Sunday night.
In these areas, surfaces are likely to remain wet long enough to allow for a greater chance of icy spots as cold air arrives. And snow could also fall for a time, which could increase the chances for slippery road conditions. In Charleston, West Virginia, temperatures will fall from the 50s Saturday night into the 30s later Sunday and then the 20s Sunday night as snow falls. A similar scenario could unfold in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Roanoke, Virginia, forecasters say.
"Snow is likely over the southern Appalachians from Sunday to Sunday night, and this zone could be most subject to hazardous driving conditions due to a flash freeze," AccuWeather Meteorologist Randy Adkins said.
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The higher elevations of the Appalachians in North Carolina, Tennessee and the Virginia Panhandle are most likely to pick up a heavy amount of snow, depending on how quickly the secondary storm organizes.
"The same storm is likely to bring a period of accumulating snow from near the Virginia border of central North Carolina to southeastern Virginia, part of Delmarva and southern New Jersey from late Sunday night to the first part of Monday," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bob Smerbeck said.
Most of the accumulation will be on grassy and elevated surfaces, but a small slushy accumulation can occur on some roads as well.
A brief period of snow could also reach Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia as a special greeting and January reminder from Old Man winter for those heading back to work or school Monday morning. Washington, D.C., could have 1-3 inches of snow fall through Monday.
Outside of the highest elevations of the southern Appalachians where snow showers occurred this fall, the event from Sunday to early Monday is likely to bring the first snowflakes of the season and even the first small accumulation of snow to some areas, only hours after temperatures hit the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Motorists heading to work or school early Monday morning from northern Georgia to upstate South Carolina, northern and western North Carolina and southern Virginia should be on guard for slippery spots, as some areas that appear to be wet may in fact be icy.
Even though cities such as Atlanta or Charlotte, North Carolina, are unlikely to experience problems from any snow or icy conditions, people heading out Monday will need to prepare for cold air typical of mid-January and RealFeel temperatures in the teens and 20s for a time.
AccuWeather meteorologists say if the aforementioned smaller storm tracks farther north then there would be a period of snow in the mid-Atlantic region in cities from Philadelphia to New York City late Sunday night to Monday morning.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Winter Weather
Snow, freeze-up to follow severe weather in part of southern US
By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Dec 31, 2021 1:50 PM EDT | Updated Jan 2, 2022 11:41 AM EDT
The same storm system partially responsible for high winds that triggered destructive wildfires in Colorado Thursday will not only bring a major outbreak of severe weather to portions of the southern United States this weekend but also a weather wakeup call in the form of plunging temperatures and potentially hazardous winter weather from the zone from the middle Mississippi Valley to the southern Appalachians and even part of the mid-Atlantic coast. Up to 3 inches of snow can fall in Washington, D.C.
As if the risk of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes was not bad enough, the sharp temperature drop will lead to a quick freeze-up this weekend into early next week in parts of the south-central and southeastern U.S., AccuWeather meteorologists warn. There can even be a bit of snow that accompanies the change to much colder conditions.
Record warmth will continue in the south-central region and much of the Southeast states this weekend, but temperatures will plummet to well-below-average levels in a matter of hours. For example, after a record high in the 85 F Saturday in Houston, temperatures in the mid-40s are forecast for Sunday morning, and AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures are expected to settle in the 20s and 30s.
Texas will escape problems from any snow or a flash freeze, but that won't be the case for areas farther to the north over the South Central states.
Little Rock, Arkansas, experienced temperatures in the 60s much of Saturday as the high hit 70 F while temperatures climbed into the 70s in Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee, topping out near 80. Cold air will waste no time blasting through the region, as well as much of the zone from the southern Plains to the middle and lower Mississippi Valley and the Ohio and Tennessee valleys Sunday.
In the wake of what may be inches of rain from the storm system into this weekend, standing water is likely to exist in many places as cold air moves in. After temperatures plunged in Little Rock Saturday night, they may struggle to rise above freezing Sunday and then dip back into the lower 20s Sunday night. While slightly higher temperatures are possible around Memphis during the day Sunday, snowflakes may be flying at times over the region. Even though little or no accumulation is likely, some areas that remain wet during the daylight hours can freeze at night, unless treated by road crews applying ice-melting compounds.
Farther to the northeast, a separate and smaller storm than the one that will trigger severe weather and heavy rain will likely produce mainly flurries in parts of Arkansas, western Tennessee and northern Mississippi for a time Sunday. This storm could gain a bit more moisture, while colder air tries to race in from middle Tennessee and Kentucky to eastern Tennessee, northern Georgia, western and northern North Carolina, West Virginia, southern Ohio and part of southern Virginia Sunday and Sunday night.
In these areas, surfaces are likely to remain wet long enough to allow for a greater chance of icy spots as cold air arrives. And snow could also fall for a time, which could increase the chances for slippery road conditions. In Charleston, West Virginia, temperatures will fall from the 50s Saturday night into the 30s later Sunday and then the 20s Sunday night as snow falls. A similar scenario could unfold in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Roanoke, Virginia, forecasters say.
"Snow is likely over the southern Appalachians from Sunday to Sunday night, and this zone could be most subject to hazardous driving conditions due to a flash freeze," AccuWeather Meteorologist Randy Adkins said.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
The higher elevations of the Appalachians in North Carolina, Tennessee and the Virginia Panhandle are most likely to pick up a heavy amount of snow, depending on how quickly the secondary storm organizes.
"The same storm is likely to bring a period of accumulating snow from near the Virginia border of central North Carolina to southeastern Virginia, part of Delmarva and southern New Jersey from late Sunday night to the first part of Monday," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bob Smerbeck said.
Most of the accumulation will be on grassy and elevated surfaces, but a small slushy accumulation can occur on some roads as well.
A brief period of snow could also reach Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia as a special greeting and January reminder from Old Man winter for those heading back to work or school Monday morning. Washington, D.C., could have 1-3 inches of snow fall through Monday.
Outside of the highest elevations of the southern Appalachians where snow showers occurred this fall, the event from Sunday to early Monday is likely to bring the first snowflakes of the season and even the first small accumulation of snow to some areas, only hours after temperatures hit the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Motorists heading to work or school early Monday morning from northern Georgia to upstate South Carolina, northern and western North Carolina and southern Virginia should be on guard for slippery spots, as some areas that appear to be wet may in fact be icy.
Even though cities such as Atlanta or Charlotte, North Carolina, are unlikely to experience problems from any snow or icy conditions, people heading out Monday will need to prepare for cold air typical of mid-January and RealFeel temperatures in the teens and 20s for a time.
AccuWeather meteorologists say if the aforementioned smaller storm tracks farther north then there would be a period of snow in the mid-Atlantic region in cities from Philadelphia to New York City late Sunday night to Monday morning.
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For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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