A massive winter storm and an Arctic cold front are set to impact tens of millions across the United States, bringing heavy snow and dangerously low temperatures from the Northern Plains to the East Coast.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued winter storm warnings affecting parts of the Mid-Atlantic through Monday morning, with forecasts predicting up to 6 inches of snow. In New England, warnings begin Sunday afternoon, with areas in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Connecticut expected to receive as much as 10 inches of snow.
Marc Chenard, a meteorologist with the NWS, said as many as 70 million people will be under some form of winter storm alert. Major cities including Philadelphia, New York, and Boston are forecast to see several inches of snow by Sunday evening, with higher snowfall totals likely in surrounding areas.
“There will be hazardous road conditions from D.C. up the I-95 corridor and inland later today and tonight,” Chenard said. “By Monday morning, untreated roads could remain dangerous due to the cold.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams urged residents to rely on public transportation during the storm to allow crews to clear streets effectively. “Cold temperatures and high winds tomorrow could be dangerous,” Adams said Saturday. “Check on your neighbors and pets, and call 311 for heating or frozen pipe concerns.”
In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency for all 21 counties. Northern parts of the state are expected to receive 6 to 8 inches of snow by Sunday evening. Local officials across several states are opening warming centers to provide shelter during the frigid conditions.
Meanwhile, Buffalo, New York, is bracing for snow showers Sunday afternoon as the Buffalo Bills host the Baltimore Ravens in an NFL playoff game. Heavier lake-effect snow is expected in western New York Monday through Wednesday, with accumulations of 2 to 3 feet possible in areas like Oswego near Lake Ontario.
The snowstorm is part of a larger Arctic blast that will bring some of the coldest temperatures in years to much of the U.S. Starting Sunday, temperatures in the Rockies and Northern Plains are expected to plummet to between -30°F (-34°C) and -55°F (-48°C), with wind chills as low as -40°F (-40°C) in parts of North Dakota and Minnesota.
Sub-zero wind chills are forecast to stretch as far south as Oklahoma and the Tennessee Valley. In Washington, D.C., Monday’s temperatures will dip into the 20s, with wind gusts of up to 30 mph. The cold snap has also prompted President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural ceremony to be moved indoors at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
The extreme cold is the result of a polar vortex disruption, which has pushed frigid air from the Arctic southward. While temperatures will moderate slightly as the cold front moves east, much of the Central and Eastern U.S. will still experience highs in the teens and 20s and lows in the single digits or below zero through early next week.
The South is also expected to experience an unusual wintry mix early this week, affecting as many as 30 million people. Starting Monday, areas from Texas to northern Florida and the Carolinas could see snow, sleet, and freezing rain.
Heavy snow is expected south of the Interstate 20 corridor across northern Louisiana and Mississippi, while a mix of freezing rain and sleet could impact areas along Interstate 10 from Houston to Mobile, Alabama.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency on Saturday, urging residents to prepare for the hazardous conditions and monitor forecasts.
