‘Multiple dangers’: Huge storm bringing snow, ice, and extreme cold. Live updates
ARLINGTON, VA. − On Sunday, over 60 million people in the U.S. were placed under winter weather and storm warnings as areas in the Midwest and East were preparing for a significant storm, with over 2 feet of snow already recorded in certain regions since Friday.
By Sunday morning, Erie, Pennsylvania had received over 17 inches of snow. In Rome, New York, nearly 2 feet blanketed the area, according to AccuWeather. Some parts of Upstate New York have reported more than 30 inches over the past few days.
Officials in Kentucky and Virginia have declared states of emergency in anticipation of this weather system. The National Weather Service indicated that some communities could experience their largest storm in over ten years. Many schools hoping to resume Monday after a two-week winter break are now considering delaying their return for a day or longer.
“The storm is still developing,” meteorologist Rich Bann at the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center explained. “This system presents several risks, from heavy snowfall in the Plains to significant icing impacting roadways further south.”
In Arlington and the Washington, D.C. area, where some winters go by with hardly any snowfall, the storm is projected to arrive Sunday night. The Weather Service has predicted total snow and sleet accumulations of 5 to 9 inches, with isolated spots possibly receiving 10 to 12 inches if heavy banding occurs.
Furthermore, another round of intense snow may follow late Monday before the precipitation concludes, as noted in local winter weather alerts.
Storm extending from Midwest to East Coast
A vast area from Nebraska and Kansas to Ohio, Indiana, southwestern Pennsylvania, and northwestern Virginia could receive anywhere from 1 inch to a foot of snow, the Weather Service reported. There are warnings that ice could down power lines and lead to widespread outages.
Freezing rain and ice are expected to affect southern Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee on Sunday, according to Bann, likely making travel extremely dangerous and causing power disruptions.
“Driving in some locations will be nearly impossible,” he cautioned.
Contributing: Reuters
