Winter Storm Warnings: Heavy Snow and Arctic Blast Affecting 70 Million in the U.S.
A winter storm sweeping across the intermountain West has plunged temperatures into the single digits and brought along a light snow in its wake, affecting millions in the U.S. Tens of millions along the East Coast are bracing for several inches of snow followed by dangerously cold temperatures that will grip much of the country from the Northern Plains to the tip of Maine. Winter storm warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service for parts of the Mid-Atlantic through Monday morning, with up to a half-foot of snow forecasted. New England is expected to see warnings beginning Sunday afternoon, with some areas projected to receive up to 10 inches of snow. Meteorologist Marc Chenard from the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland, estimates that approximately 70 million residents will be under some form of winter storm hazards warning in the coming days, including the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions. Major cities like Philadelphia, New York, and Boston could see several inches of snow with the highest totals expected outside of urban centers.
Return of the Arctic Blast
But the snow is just the beginning of a tumultuous week of weather. The Eastern half of the United States is set to endure some of the coldest temperatures this winter, if not for several years. Colder than normal temperatures are expected from the Rockies to the Northern Plains starting Sunday into the following week, with temperatures plummeting to minus 30 degrees F to minus 55 F on Sunday and Monday. Wind chills of minus 40 F have already been recorded in parts of North Dakota and Minnesota, with sub-zero wind chills forecasted to reach as far south as Oklahoma and the Tennessee Valley. The frigid weather anticipated for Monday in Washington, D.C., has led to the relocation of President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural ceremony inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda due to the cold temperatures and strong winds expected.
Unusual Wintry Mix
The cold air will extend southward and eastward, with the Central and Eastern U.S. experiencing cold temperatures with highs in the teens and 20s on Monday into Tuesday. The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions are also expected to have highs in the teens and 20s, lows in the single digits and below zero, with wind chills below zero degrees. The colder temperatures will reach into the South early this week, where as many as 30 million people could see a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. The storm, caused by a combination of frigid air and a low-pressure system over the Gulf, is expected to bring heavy snow across northern Louisiana and into Mississippi, as well as a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain near the Interstate 10 corridor from Houston to Mobile, Alabama. Louisiana has preemptively declared a state of emergency in preparation for the wintry weather, urging residents to stay informed and prepared for potential impacts.