Travel banned until Monday due to ice and snow
In today’s forecast feed, Bernie Rayno looks at the weekend winter storm that will impact much of the United States.
Amazon is warning customers that deliveries may take longer than expected as a major winter storm began just before the weekend.
The e-tailer shared an in-app message for customers who have scheduled deliveries in the next few days.
“Due to the winter storm, some deliveries may take longer than usual,” Amazon wrote in the message.
The National Weather Service predicted on January 23 that heavy snow and “breaking ice” would hit much of the United States, including more than 170 million Americans from the southern Rockies and Plains to the Northeast. The Bureau of Meteorology has announced that the Northeast will also see heavy snow and ice by Sunday, January 25th.
Allison Santorelli, a meteorologist with the NWS Weather Prediction Center, said in a video shared online on Jan. 22 that a winter storm watch is in effect from Arizona to parts of New England.
How long do Amazon packages usually take?
USA TODAY reached out to Amazon on Jan. 23 for more information about how the storm would affect shipping, but did not receive a response. However, the company previously said on its website that shipping and delivery dates are calculated by adding shipping time and transit time.
“Delivery times vary depending on delivery speed,” the company wrote. “We use business days, excluding weekends, and take holidays into account when calculating delivery times. An exception to this delivery schedule is if a weekend delivery option is available at checkout.”
For Prime members, Amazon offers one-day delivery, same-day delivery within two days, Standard (4-5 business days), and Amazon Day delivery, where customers choose a specific day of the week to have all items delivered.
Common reasons for delivery delays include bad weather, heavy traffic, high demand for deliveries during holidays, delays at customs for international packages, and operational issues such as vehicle breakdowns, Amazon said.
USA TODAY also contacted Target, Walmart and Sam’s Club about possible delivery delays, but did not receive a response.
Which areas will suffer the most damage during the storm?
Calling the snow, sleet and freezing rain a “high-impact and widespread winter storm,” the NWS said people from the southern Rockies to New England will be significantly impacted by the storm from Friday, Jan. 23 through Monday, Jan. 26.
By early next week, frigid air will make travel during the week less than ideal for large parts of the United States.
Large ice accumulations are expected in the Carolinas and northern Georgia, as well as areas of eastern Texas through Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
The NWS said 8 to 12 inches of snow could fall in areas including Oklahoma City, Louisville, Washington, D.C., and as far north as Portland, Maine.
“Wide-spread freezing rain and sleet is expected south of the first snow axis, impacting the Southern Plains, lower Mississippi River basin, Southeast, and portions of the mid-Atlantic region,” the service wrote.
More than half an inch of freezing rain could reach parts of northern Louisiana, southern Arkansas, Mississippi and the southern Appalachians.
Saleen Martin is a reporter for USA TODAY’s NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia (757). Email sdmartin@usatoday.com.
