BOSTON — Millions of people on the East Coast are preparing for a significant winter storm this Sunday. Forecasts predict that many areas will see several inches of snow, along with dangerously cold temperatures that will impact much of the country, from the Northern Plains to Maine.
The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings for parts of the Mid-Atlantic region, which will remain in effect through Monday morning. Predictions suggest that some areas could receive up to half a foot of snow. Warnings will extend to New England on Sunday afternoon, with states like Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Connecticut facing accumulations of around 10 inches.
Meteorologist Marc Chenard from the National Weather Service indicated that nearly 70 million people may experience various winter storm alerts over the next few days, affecting regions in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Major cities, including Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, are expected to receive several inches by this evening, especially in areas outside the urban centers.
Chenard cautioned, “There will certainly be hazardous road conditions anywhere from D.C. up the entire I-95 corridor and further inland later today and tonight. After that, much colder weather will set in. By Monday morning, untreated and uncleared roads are likely to be dangerous.”
In addition to snowy conditions, an Arctic blast will sweep across the Eastern United States, bringing some of the coldest temperatures seen this winter, and possibly for several years. Cold weather will extend from the Rockies to the Northern Plains, with temperatures plummeting to as low as minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas. Wind chills as low as minus 40 degrees have already been reported in parts of North Dakota and Minnesota, with frigid gusts expected to reach into southern states like Oklahoma and Tennessee.
In Washington, D.C., the cold led to a necessary change in plans for President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural ceremony, moving the event indoors to the U.S. Capitol Rotunda to escape the biting temperatures.
Chenard noted, “It’s going to be a cold day in Washington, D.C. on Monday, with temperatures in the 20s and wind gusts up to 30 miles per hour.”
This cold snap is linked to a disruption in the polar vortex, which usually keeps cold air contained around the North Pole. Although temperatures will gradually improve as the cold air moves southward and eastward, the Midwest and Northeast will still experience chilly highs in the teens and 20s, with lows dipping below zero in some locations.
On top of the snow and cold, a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain is expected to reach down into the South early this week, affecting as many as 30 million people. This unusual weather pattern will stretch from Texas to northern Florida and the Carolinas, starting in Texas on Monday night and moving across the Gulf Coast and Southeast through Wednesday.
This storm system, driven by cold air and low pressure over the Gulf, could bring heavy snow to parts of northern Louisiana and a mix of wintry precipitation along the Interstate 10 corridor from Houston to Mobile, Alabama. Louisiana’s Governor Jeff Landry has already declared a state of emergency in anticipation of the severe weather and has urged residents to prepare accordingly.
