More than half of the United States is bracing for a major winter storm that will bring a combination of snow, ice and frigid temperatures to nearly every region east of the Rocky Mountains, with forecasters warning it could cause power outages and disrupt travel for several days.
By early Thursday afternoon, about 180 million people were under some type of winter weather advisory, watch or warning, said Brian Hurley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center.
The storm is expected to begin Friday and continue through the weekend, bringing snow and ice from the southern Plains to the northeast, forecasters said. The system is expected to move across the East Coast over the weekend, the National Weather Service said.
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Snow is expected to fall from the Southwest to the Northeast and everywhere in between, but up to 24 inches or more could fall in parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia, AccuWeather meteorologist Bob Larson said in an email to USA TODAY.
“This has the potential to be a large and historic storm, with significant impacts across a very wide area (more than 20 states),” he said, noting that “the greatest risk of a major ice storm would be from Texas to the Carolinas.”
The weather service warned of “dangerous travel conditions, prolonged power outages and tree damage” across the Southern Plains, Lower Mississippi River, Mid-South and Carolina. Local authorities in these areas are urging residents to avoid travel and prepare for possible power outages.
Of all the warnings and advisories, one of the biggest concerns is ice arriving in the form of freezing rain or sleet, said Hurley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “Ice is more harmful than snow.”
“At least a quarter-inch of rain is expected to fall in many places, and that’s dangerous from a tree, power line and driving standpoint,” he says. “We’ll probably see more than half an inch in some areas and possibly even more in some areas.”
Two major ice corridors are predicted to form, Hurley said. One would form from Texas, northern Louisiana, and southern Arkansas, extending into northern Mississippi and south of Nashville. The second corridor will run from northeastern Georgia through upstate South Carolina and into parts of North Carolina and Virginia.
- In the West, severe weather is expected to arrive in Texas late Friday afternoon before moving into the lower Mississippi River.
- East of the Mississippi River, storm activity began Saturday morning and is expected to spread across the region and continue into Sunday.
- In the mid-Atlantic states, the storm is expected to begin Saturday night and continue into Sunday.
More than 6 inches of snow will accumulate in large areas of the country, Hurley said. Many areas will see 6 to 15 inches, National Weather Service meteorologists said.
Hurley said high-elevation areas of northwestern Virginia, the Appalachians and north-central Maryland “will see areas with even more 10 to 15 inches of snow.” When total snowfall exceeds 18 inches, it “becomes more patchy and associated with higher terrain.”
Areas of western Virginia and the Poconos could see 18 to 20 inches, Hurley said. More snow is expected in New England.
Governors in several states have issued disaster declarations or states of emergency as potentially life-threatening storms loom.
On Thursday, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency across the state, allowing up to 500 Georgia National Guard troops to be deployed to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the storm. Most of the storm’s impacts across the state will come in the form of freezing rain, the governor’s office said.
“As the forecast continues to evolve, Georgians should prepare for freezing precipitation starting Saturday that could cause hazardous conditions, damage and power outages,” Kemp said.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Arkansas also declared a state of emergency directing up to $250,000 for storm relief efforts. Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a “state of readiness.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration Thursday ahead of the storm, saying the storm would bring “frigid temperatures” and dangerous road conditions. He said the northernmost two-thirds of the state would be hardest hit.
“Due to the severity of this storm, I am currently issuing a disaster declaration for 134 counties across the state of Texas. This will ensure that all resources are available so that we can respond quickly, quickly and better,” Abbott said at a news conference.
Abbott urged Texans to start preparing for the storm immediately and to avoid driving if roads are slippery or icy. The Department of Public Safety will increase personnel and deploy the National Guard to key areas to respond to storm-related incidents.
He said the state’s power grid has “never been stronger, more prepared and more than capable of handling this winter storm.”
“We do not anticipate any loss of power from the grid,” he said, adding that localized outages not caused by grid failures were possible. For example, ice could weigh down power lines and cause them to fall, he said.
Below-normal temperatures are expected to continue from the end of January until February, the Japan Meteorological Agency warned.
The Ohio and Tennessee valleys, as well as parts of the Mid-Atlantic coast and Southeast, are at high risk due to continued frigid temperatures. In states including Tennessee, parts of the Carolinas, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Ohio and parts of Indiana, the chance of contracting a dangerous cold is more than 60% through the first few days of February.
Snow, sleet, and freezing rain are all in the forecast for this storm. The diagram below explains how the presence of different layers of warm and cold air between clouds and the ground determines the type of precipitation.
Check out USA TODAY’s snowfall tracker to stay up to date on snowfall amounts.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned that snow-covered roads and reduced visibility could cause widespread traffic disruption. A snow squall in the Northeast could result in changing visibility and slippery roads.
“Snow squalls cause an extremely dangerous combination of heavy snow and strong gusts of wind, resulting in snow-covered roads and near-zero visibility,” the Bureau of Meteorology said. “Snow squalls can cause conditions to change rapidly and can result in dangerous travel for motorists.”
The agency advised drivers to slow down, turn on their lights and hazards, and avoid slamming on the brakes if they encounter a squall.
The Bureau of Meteorology urged people to avoid traveling in dangerous snow and cold conditions, and to drive slowly in the snow. The agency recommends avoiding traveling alone, making sure your vehicle is in proper condition, checking for the latest road accidents and weather conditions, and carrying a winter storm survival kit.
The storm is also expected to impact major hub airports, including those in Texas, Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. Airlines issued travel advisories and exemptions ahead of the storm.
The Bureau of Meteorology advised the public to prepare for the potentially life-threatening cold. The chances of frostbite and hypothermia will skyrocket by the end of the week.
“These wind chills pose life-threatening risks such as hypothermia and frostbite on exposed skin,” the Bureau of Meteorology said. “Additionally, this risk could be prolonged and exacerbated if winter storms cause power outages this weekend.”
