Travel
Arctic surge could bring snow squalls with a rapid freeze to major cities
5 feet and counting: Shocking snow totals in New York and Pennsylvania
Pounding snow and bitter cold continued their assault across the country’s northern tier.
Editor’s note: Follow USA TODAY’s Thursday coverage of a winter storm impacting the eastern US.
The latest wave of lake-effect snow began crashing across parts of the nation’s northern tier Wednesday, this one threatening to bring travel havoc to New York City and Washington, D.C.
The rolling line of storms extending into a seventh day has dumped more than 5 feet of snow in some areas near the Great Lakes in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York state. Heavy “lake-enhanced” snow was forecast downwind from Lakes Erie and Ontario on Wednesday and Thursday, the National Weather Service said in an update, adding that heavy snow was also expected over parts of Northern New England.
But the latest storm also could prompt a travel nightmare along parts of I-95 below New England. Commuters driving near Washington, D.C., to Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City on Thursday morning may be forced to drive through what could be blinding squalls, AccuWeather says.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyssa Glenny said rain could turn to snow as the cold front approaches amid high winds.
“A sudden drop in visibility will occur, and that alone can boost the risk of accidents,” Glenny said. “In some cases, a heavy snow squall will pass through a portion of the I-95 zone, which can briefly make bridges, overpasses and elevated surfaces slushy in a matter of minutes.”
From Hartford, Connecticut, to Boston and Portland, Maine, the risk will be during the midday hours when there is less traffic and less chance of roads being covered with slush.
Developments:
∎ The weather service in Ohio issued a lake-effect snow warning for the Cleveland area. Additional total snow accumulations from 6 to 10 inches with locally higher amounts were expected through Friday.
∎ Lake effect snow, gusty winds and blowing snow were forecast through Thursday for areas around Buffalo, New York. Although the forecast for Buffalo only called for 4-6 inches of new snow, areas around Lewis County could see up to 24 inches, the weather service said.
Thursday will be a rough weather day for millions of people in the eastern U.S., with howling winds and heavy snow expected in many areas.
According to the National Weather Service, a powerful Arctic cold front will sweep the northeastern U.S. Thursday. “Expect brief, intense bursts of heavy snowfall and gusty winds. Dangerous travel conditions are likely, including whiteout visibility and rapidly worsening road conditions,” the weather service said.
Wind gusts of up to 50 mph will roar across the Central Appalachians, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast throughout the day on Thursday. Blizzard conditions may develop in lake-effect snow belts and the Central Appalachians, creating treacherous travel, the weather service warned. Gusty winds may down tree branches and cause power outages.
Snow will be measured in feet in the lake-effect snow belts. Heavy snow is also possible along the Central Appalachians and across interior New England, the weather service said.
According to AccuWeather, the snowy dangers of Thursday’s storm will be farther-reaching compared to the recent round of lake-effect snow, where impacts were primarily confined to areas closer to the Great Lakes. “Snow showers and intense snow squalls can extend hundreds of miles away from the lakes, including highways near major cities,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
In Erie, Pennsylvania, where bands of snow have already pounded the region with up to 5 feet of snow, another 2 feet was possible through Friday, the weather service said. In Watertown, New York, which has been similarly snowed under in recent days, the outlook was a bit better − up to 10 inches of additional snow were in the forecast.
Parts of Michigan, where an additional foot or more of snow has fallen in the last 24 hours, could see another 6 inches or more.
The biting cold that has gripped much of the Midwest and Northeast was being fueled by a new surge of arctic air. However, forecasters said the front would swing through at a much faster pace than the cold wave that lingered for much of the extended Thanksgiving weekend and into the start of this week. Warmer temperatures should begin breaking through this weekend.
The cold air will slide east and south, and temperatures will be 10 to 15 degrees below average, the weather service warned. That will translate to the middle to lower 20s as far south and east as parts of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and North Carolina late this week. From New York City to Washington, D.C., heavy snow showers could reduce visibility on Thursday.
The good news is a warm-up forecast for next week, when Washington, D.C., could reach 65 degrees.
The steadiest snow will track across northern areas of Minnesota, Michigan, New York and New England, AccuWeather said. Initially, heavy lake-effect snow will hit southwest-facing shorelines of the Great Lakes, including Buffalo and Watertown, on Wednesday. Late Wednesday and Thursday, winds will shift, with bands of heavy lake-effect snow crossing northern Wisconsin and Michigan to northern Ohio, northwestern Pennsylvania and western and central New York, AccuWeather said.
Cities that could experience a quick snow squall with a rapid freeze − and thus treacherous driving conditions − include Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Columbus, Ohio.
Blowing and drifting snow could create havoc as temperatures fall and the snow becomes more dry and powdery. Gusts averaging 30-50 mph sweeping the Midwest and Northeast on Wednesday will reach the Northeast on Thursday.
“Strong winds are expected today through Thursday with gusts of 40-50 mph possible,” the weather service in Cleveland said on a social media post. “Wind chill values tonight will dip into the single digits which may present a threat of exposure, if unprepared.”
The high winds could bring blizzard conditions to some areas. The National Weather Service defines a blizzard as a storm that contains large amounts of snow or blowing snow with winds in excess of 35 mph and visibilities of less than 1/4 mile for at least three hours.
The snow has caused multiple days of school closing across the region. Students and parents in dozens of districts have been watching for daily notifications as teachers and administrators attempt to squeeze in school days when possible. In Erie, all public schools were closed and education halted Wednesday “as municipal street crews continue to clear roads. Wednesday will not be a flexible instruction day; there will be no in-person or virtual instruction.”
The blasts of extreme cold forecast for Texas this winter could test the state’s electric grid in early 2025 similar to four years ago, the grid operator’s chief meteorologist said Tuesday. Storm Uri caused blackouts to millions of homes and businesses in Texas and was blamed for at least 240 deaths. Uri’s impact prompted Texas to begin overhauling its grid to increase reliability.
Chris Coleman, chief meteorologist at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, cited ocean and atmospheric patterns similar to early 2021. Coleman said the current weather pattern “supports something like a Uri this winter.”
Spikes in cold weather are increasing in Texas, but average winter temperatures are generally warmer, Coleman said. Last winter was the state’s 11th warmest since 1895, National Weather Service data.
Lake-effect snow, which can last from a few minutes to several days, develops from narrow bands of clouds that form when cold, dry arctic air passes over a large, relatively mild lake. As the cold air passes over the unfrozen and “warm” waters of the Great Lakes, warmth and moisture are transferred into the lowest portion of the atmosphere, the National Weather Service says. The air rises and clouds form and grow into narrow bands that produce 2 to 3 inches of snow an hour or more.
Wind direction is also a key component in determining which areas will receive lake-effect snow. Heavy snow may be falling in one spot, while the sun may be shining just a mile or two away in either direction.
The wind chill temperature is how cold people feel outside. Wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by the combination of wind and cold, according to the National Weather Service. As the wind increases, it draws heat from the body, driving down skin temperature and eventually the body’s internal temperature. Wind chill temperatures are determined on a sliding scale shown on the weather service wind chill chart. If the temperature is 0 degrees and the wind is blowing at 15 mph, the wind chill is 19 degrees below zero.
Contributing: Reuters
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