From the Plains to the mid-Atlantic, over 60 million people were under weather alerts as a winter storm threatened to lash the areas with debilitating ice and heavy snow.
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.
As the powerful and significant storm continues to develop, 57 million people in 30 states will still be under winter alert as of Saturday afternoon.
Strong winds, freezing rain, and a lot of snow will affect the central and northern Plains as well as the Rocky Mountains. Wichita, Kansas; Kansas City; and Omaha, Nebraska, are among the cities anticipated to be impacted. Strong wind gusts combined with heavy snow could create blizzard-like conditions.
The National Weather Service field office in Kansas City warned on X that a wintry mix could begin as early as today afternoon and turn into snow on Sunday afternoon. On Sunday, wind gusts of 35 to 40 mph might result in blizzard-like conditions.
The Northern Plains had sporadic snow showers on Saturday afternoon, with a pocket of freezing drizzle already creating some problems in central Kansas. Throughout the evening, these showers will continue to form.
The Kansas City metropolitan area was advised to “take it easy” on the roads by the weather service.
The Kansas City field office of the meteorological service reported that “freezing drizzle has begun to cover surfaces in a glaze of ice across portions of the KC metro.” “MODOT (Missouri Department of Transportation) and KDOT (Kansas Department of Transportation) are also showing some issues beginning to crop up on roadways.”
Heavy snow and ice from Kansas will move into the mid-Mississippi Valley by Sunday morning as the system moves across the central Plains. Throughout the day, the storm system will progressively move east, with Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky experiencing the most severe effects.
Additionally, there is a severe weather danger for 7 million people in the lower Mississippi Valley on Sunday. Cities like Jackson, Mississippi, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, and Lake Charles, Louisiana, are at risk of tornadoes, destructive winds, and hail.
Overnight into Monday morning, snow is expected to fall in the middle Appalachians and mid-Atlantic. As the system moves offshore on Monday, these rains will continue until Tuesday morning. Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh are among the locations predicted to be impacted on Monday.
The states with the greatest predicted snowfall totals—Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois—will receive between 9 and 16 inches. 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. Totals of 0.1 to 0.4 inches of ice are typical, although in some areas of Missouri, southern Illinois, and Kentucky, severe quantities of 0.5 to 0.75 inches are conceivable.
The eastern two-thirds of the nation are expected to experience a sharp decline in temperature following this system. After Sunday, highs will be 10 to 25 degrees below normal through Friday. In the Plains and Midwest, highs will be in the single digits and teens, while in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, they will be in the 20s to 30s.
The northern Plains will experience the worst temperatures, with wind chills of about – 40 and overnight lows as low as minus 20. Advisories for cold weather are in effect from Minnesota to eastern Montana.
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