A winter storm is threatening to hit the region with debilitating ice and heavy snow, putting around 60 million people under weather advisories from the Plains to the Mid-Atlantic.
For the next three days, the growing low pressure system is expected to impact the following cities: Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Kansas City, Omaha, St. Louis, and Indianapolis.
Strong winds, freezing rain, and a lot of snow will impact the Central and Northern Plains as well as the Rocky Mountains. Wichita, Kansas City, and Omaha are among the cities that are anticipated to be impacted. Strong wind gusts combined with heavy snow could create blizzard-like conditions.
The Kansas City National Weather Service field office stated on X that “a wintry mix could start as early as this afternoon and transition to snow Sunday afternoon.” “Wind gusts around 35-40 mph on Sunday could yield possible blizzard conditions.”
The system will move across the Central Plains by Sunday morning, bringing with it a lot of snow and ice from Kansas to the mid-Mississippi Valley. Throughout the day, the storm system will progressively move east, with Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky being the states most affected.
Seven million people in the Lower Mississippi Valley, including Jackson, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, and Lake Charles, are at risk of tornadoes, destructive winds, and hail on Sunday due to the severe weather risk.
Overnight into Monday morning, snow is expected to fall in the middle Appalachians and the Mid-Atlantic. As the system moves offshore on Monday, these rains will continue until Tuesday morning. On Monday, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., were among the affected areas.
The heaviest snowfall totals, ranging from 9 to 16 inches, are predicted for Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois. From sections of Illinois to the Mid-Atlantic, there will likely be 4 to 9 inches of snowfall, with heavier accumulations possible in the central Appalachians.
From Kansas through Virginia, there will be significant icing, which could result in power outages, tree damage, and hazardous traffic conditions. Extreme amounts of 0.5 to 0.75 inches of ice are possible in some areas of Missouri, southern Illinois, and Kentucky, but totals often fall between 0.1 and 0.4 inches.
The eastern two-thirds of the nation are expected to experience a sharp decline in temperature following this system. From Sunday through Friday, highs will be 10 to 25 degrees below normal. The Plains and Midwest will see highs in the single digits and teens, while the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast will likely see highs in the 20s and 30s.
The Northern Plains will experience the worst temperatures, with wind chills of about -40 degrees and nighttime lows as low as -20 degrees. Advisories for cold weather are in effect from Minnesota to eastern Montana.
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