US Snow Update: A major winter storm threatens heavy snow, ice, extreme cold and travel chaos across the Northeast with peak impacts expected Sunday.
Heavy snow falls along the I-95 corridor as a powerful winter storm spreads across the eastern United States (Photo: Pinterest)
US Snow Update: A potent winter storm is tracing its own frozen footprint across America and is now moving on to its next stop, the Northeast. It stretches from Texas down to New England and has more than 2,000 miles to map its route through ice, cold, and general disruption and chaos. This weekend's storm is looking to be one of the biggest weather events of the season for cities such as New York and Philadelphia, not only in terms of the depth of the winter weather, but also its timing and the consequences that come from its wake.
Snow is expected to begin early Sunday morning across much of the northeastern United States, starting between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. with intensity increasing through late morning and early afternoon hours.
According to forecasts in the New York City area, the snow is expected to begin as early as daybreak on Sunday morning and furthermore, the intensity is expected to increase in the morning hours. According to forecasts, the heavier intensity of the snow will be felt in the afternoon hours as rates intensify to about one to two inches per hour and subsequently, by the end of the night, the system is expected to weaken to scattered snow showers.
One chief concern is how the storm is going to change over in terms of temperature as it progresses. Heavy snow is expected in most areas but southern New Jersey and areas southeast and east of New York City could see a mix of sleet or freezing rain Sunday afternoon into the evening. Even a thin glaze of ice can create hazardous road conditions. Half an inch or more of ice can down trees and power lines, significantly increasing the potential for prolonged outages.
There is a lack of uniformity in terms of the snow fall. While the areas in the South need a snow fall of about 4 to 8 inches, the areas in the North need a fall of about 12 to 16 inches. While moving along I-95, areas including Philadelphia need about 8 to 12 inches of snow fall. But on Sunday, there is a need of a heavy fall, which is a very important point.
The storm has already caused cancellation of over 9,000 flights across the nation. Additionally, the roads may be hazardous or even impassable over much of the area affected by the storm. As the snowfall comes to an end Sunday night, arctic air will arrive which will freeze the snow in place.
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