The first significant winter storm of the season for much of the country will bring heavy snow and ice to millions of people from Nebraska to the nation’s capital over the weekend into Monday.
The affected stretch includes southeastern Nebraska, southern Iowa, northern Missouri, south-central Illinois, south-central Indiana, southern Ohio, northern Kentucky, southwestern Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
How much falls in the region depends on the storm track and whether the snow mixes with sleet and freezing rain.
For millions of people across the country, it will be the first winter storm of the season.
The weekend storm will bring snow to states that have seen very little so far this season, and the nationwide deficit will rebound — but only slightly.
Over the weekend and Monday, millions of people from Nebraska to the nation’s capital will experience heavy snow and ice due to the first major winter storm of the season for a large portion of the country.
In a corridor from northern Kansas to West Virginia, more than six inches of snow could fall, creating hazardous road conditions in certain areas. Hundreds of counties were under winter storm warnings, watches, and advisories as of early Friday. Southeastern Nebraska, southern Iowa, northern Missouri, south-central Illinois, south-central Indiana, southern Ohio, northern Kentucky, southwestern Pennsylvania, and West Virginia are parts of the impacted area.
Parts of Northern Virginia, Maryland, Washington, and D.C. may also see snowfall of up to six inches or more. both southern New Jersey and Delaware. The storm track and whether or not the snow mixes with sleet and freezing rain determine how much falls in the area.
In addition, the storm system is expected to bring icy conditions from Nebraska to Virginia and to parts of western North Carolina that are still recovering from Hurricane Helene. These conditions could cause power outages, slick roads, and fallen trees.
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Observe the environment and climate.
A squall line—an organized line of thunderstorms—will raging through Arkansas, western Tennessee, eastern Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama on the storm’s southern flank, with the potential for tornadoes and damaging winds by late Sunday.
It occurs as the nation is hit by the first of several Arctic blasts. The storm will form when the colder, northern air collides with the warmer, more humid southern air. It will be the season’s first winter storm for millions of people nationwide.
When, where, and amount of snowfall is expected.
By the time it ends late Monday, the storm may have dumped 6 to 12 inches of snow on more than a dozen states.
The areas where cold air and moisture will feed a narrow corridor of the heaviest snowfall—northern Kansas, northern Missouri, south-central Illinois, south-central Indiana, southern Ohio, northern Kentucky, northern West Virginia, and far western Maryland—may see accumulations of more than a foot.
On Saturday, snow is expected to form in South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. On Saturday evening, it will move into Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois. Snow will be dry and fluffy and will adhere to roads easily when temperatures are in the single digits, teens, and 20s.
Cities like Topeka, Kansas; Kansas City; Lincoln, Nebraska; and St. Significant accumulation is anticipated in St. Louis, Springfield, Illinois, and Indianapolis.
Travel conditions will be dangerous due to blustery winds, which will also result in some blowing and snow drifts as well as poor visibility.
Before arriving in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the other Mid-Atlantic states on Sunday evening, the snow is expected to move into Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, and western Virginia on Sunday.
Major snowfall is expected in a number of cities, including Morgantown, West Virginia; Pittsburgh; Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio.
The storm will be approaching the East Coast by Monday morning, and there may be light snowfall as far north as southern New York.
It is predicted that southern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, northern Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C., will see up to six inches of snow or more. as well as Northern Virginia. If the snow and ice don’t mix, totals of six inches or more could occur. The nation’s capital may be very near this crucial boundary, where the snow may turn into a wintry mix.
Since the storm’s atmospheric components were still over the North Pacific Ocean as of early Friday, the precise course was unknown.
During Friday evening, a high-altitude disturbance was circulating through the northeast Pacific. It was anticipated to cross the land on Friday evening. At that point, weather balloons will be able to be launched into the air beneath it so that meteorologists can sample the ingredients. Computer models will most likely start to forecast the storm more accurately with additional information about the disturbance.
On Saturday evening, a surface storm will form over Kansas due to the upper-air disturbance. The Gulf of Mexico will start to send moisture northward through that emerging low pressure system. For this reason, there will be an abundance of snow, ice, and rain. It’s difficult to predict which regions will experience which winter impacts.
The storm might prolong winter break by at least one day because bad road conditions will likely result in cancellations, and many people are expected to return to work and school after the holidays. Travelers should verify all information before heading out into the storm because flight cancellations and delays are also possible.
where hazardous conditions will be brought about by ice.
Heavy sleet and freezing rain are also expected to accompany the storm, making roads and sidewalks extremely slick from Nebraska to Virginia and western North Carolina.
The combination of heavy ice and extremely windy conditions in Nebraska, central Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, and Kentucky could result in widespread power outages that could last for several days. Late Saturday through Sunday evening will see the worst of the icing.
Areas south of Interstate 70 between Kansas City and St. Petersburg, as well as Topeka, are expected to receive substantial amounts of ice. Charleston, West Virginia; Evansville, Indiana; Lexington, Kentucky; Carbondale, Illinois; and Louis.
On Saturday night, freezing rain is expected to start to fall over most of central and eastern Kansas, possibly including Kansas City. Sleet and eventually snow will fall to the north.
The predawn hours of Sunday will see a spread of precipitation eastward across Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, and Kentucky, with mixed precipitation south of an all-snow zone. There will be precipitation in southern Ohio on Sunday night, and by Monday, the winter storm will have moved east of the Appalachians.
Later on Sunday or Monday, ice will also spread into eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, southern Ohio, West Virginia, and western Virginia.
To determine which kind of precipitation will be most common in regions close to the snow, sleet, or freezing rain line is still a little too early. There is some evidence that suggests the Ohio River corridor and the Ozarks in southeast Missouri have a higher chance of experiencing large ice totals.
Even Washington, D.C., could be hit by the freezing rain and sleet line. causing the forecast to become uncertain. Snowfall totals are predicted to be between three and six inches if the ice makes it to the city; if not, accumulations of more than six inches may occur.
When will it conclude?
By Monday evening, when the storm moves off the East Coast, the worst of the weather should be over.
An Arctic air mass will move in from the storm’s wake, bringing temperatures to the East Coast in the singles and tens on Tuesday morning. Many parts of the Plains and Midwest will experience single-digit or below-freezing temperatures, with the coldest temperatures occurring in places with a heavy snow cover.
As freezing temperatures persist, black ice will be a concern Tuesday morning and throughout the remainder of next week.
A system may form in the Deep South late next week, which would be the next storm chance. Because of the extremely cold air, wintry precipitation could fall in an unusually southern location. Texas and the Carolinas should monitor the situation as more information becomes available in the coming days.
There hasn’t been much snow this season.
For the most part, this season’s snowfall has been significantly less than usual. Since the start of national snowfall records, it has been the second-least snowy in the last 17 years.
The country has only received 54% of its usual amount of snowfall. Due to a number of climate-influencing factors, including warm seas, low snowfall was predicted for this season.
States that have seen very little snow this season will get some thanks to the weekend storm, and the national deficit will only marginally improve.
It will take a few more storms to stop the increasing decrease in snowfall, but January’s Arctic outbreak might occur when the weather is more dry than snowy.
