Central, Eastern U.S. Hit By Two Rounds Snow And Ice
Heavy snow, ice, and rain will make travel difficult across a large portion of the central and eastern U.S. through Thursday.
The first system is well underway across the Deep South and Mid-Atlantic today. Expect a mix of snow and ice across the Lower Ohio Valley into the southern Mid-Atlantic as moderate to heavy rain and embedded thunderstorms stretch from eastern Texas into the Deep South and Tennessee Valley. Snow will spread across the northern Mid-Atlantic as the day goes on, with the heavy rain shifting slightly eastward.
Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for the Lower Ohio Valley into most of the southern Mid-Atlantic. Cities that will be impacted by wintry weather include Louisville, Ky., Roanoke, Va., and the I-95 corridor from Richmond to Philadelphia. Snowfall of 2 to 6 inches are likely for most areas, with locally higher amounts of 6 to 10 inches possible.
Ice will also be an issue from northern North Carolina to areas west of I-95 in the Mid-Atlantic. While most spots could pick up a light glaze of ice today through Wednesday, the higher elevations in the Virginias and the Maryland Panhandle could see a quarter inch or more of ice accretion.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms will continue to spread across the South on Wednesday and Thursday as the next storm system develops in the central U.S. Three-day rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches are likely from eastern Texas to the Tennessee Valley, creating areas of flooding and flash flooding. The rest of the southeastern U.S. from the Carolinas to northern Florida will see rain amounts up to 1 to 3 inches. Currently, there are Flash Flood Watches in northern Louisiana and the eastern Tennessee Valley.
The second disturbance will track further north than the first one, bringing a band of moderate to heavy snow to the central Plains, Midwest, and far northern New England tonight through Thursday. Widespread snowfall of 4 to 8 inches is likely from northern Kansas and southern Nebraska into northern Missouri, Iowa, northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, and much of Michigan and far northern New England. Locally higher amounts of 8 to 12 inches are possible.
Winter Storm Watches, Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories stretch from eastern Colorado and the Texas Panhandle through the central Plains and into most of Illinois and southern Michigan. This includes Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, Wis., and Lansing, Mich. Additional Winter Storm Watches and Winter Weather Advisories were also just issued for the Northeast.
Be sure to check back throughout the week for the latest as the active weather pattern continues for the eastern U.S.