Travel
Blowing snow, blustery winds, bitter cold: Gnarly winter weather grips swath of nation
US hit by second round of winter storms
Cities and towns in New York and near Lake Ontario have already seen at least 5 feet of snow from the last storm. This round may bring another 2 feet.
Blowing snow could prompt power outages and snarl travel across a swath of the nation’s northern tier, and it’s so cold in the South that iguanas could start falling from trees in Florida as waves of gnarly winter weather continue their unrelenting assault Thursday.
A powerful Arctic cold front was sweeping across the Great Lakes to the Northeast, with snow squalls accompanied by intense bursts of heavy snowfall and gusty winds that could produce whiteouts and icy roads, the National Weather Service warned.
Almost 20 million Americans were under winter weather warnings or advisories. Almost 60 million were under wind advisories.
AccuWeather warned blinding snow squalls could bring havoc to travelers along the I-95 corridor from Boston to Washington, D.C., although weather service maps indicated the squalls might not make it that far east. Either way, the forecast called for mixed precipitation in or around the major cities. The weather service in New York warned residents to “be alert for lingering slick conditions.”
After the morning commute wrapped up, AccuWeather Meteorologist Jeff Nordeen said rain was the most likely weather culprit facing travelers along I-95. More severe issues were unfolding farther inland, where some areas already had been measuring the snow in feet since Thanksgving, he said.
“It will finally start to calm down for them over the weekend,” Nordeen told USA TODAY. “Monday will be dryish, at least snow-free. Truly dry weather will be a longer wait.”
But on Thursday, wind gusts up to 50 mph could be strong enough to knock down tree branches and topple power lines in some areas, leading to possible power outages, forecasters warned.
“Along that front and immediately behind it is where and when the snow showers and heavier snow squalls can occur,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyssa Glenny said. She warned that bridges, overpasses and elevated surfaces could be slushy and slick.
Bands of heavy, lake-effect snow on Thursday were targeting southeastern shorelines throughout the Great Lakes from Wisconsin and Michigan to parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, AccuWeather said.
In the snow belt near the Great Lakes, where places such as Erie, Pennsylvania, and Fort Drum, New York, have seen multiple feet of snow since Thanksgiving, another foot of snow could arrive by Saturday, the weather service said.
“Snow showers this morning have transitioned to pure lake effect (heavy snow), impacting areas across the primary & secondary snowbelts,” the weather service office in Cleveland posted on social media. “Strong wind gusts will result in blowing snow & reduced visibilities, impacting travel. If you must travel, allow plenty of time.”
The icy temperatures that have locked in across the Midwest and East for more than a week will ease early next week, Nordeen said. But the rain forecast for the snowbelt “won’t help with flooding” as the massive snow begins to melt, he said.
Next weekend should be better − but another possible system could move into the region on Monday, Dec. 16, he said.
“It is winter,” Nordeen said.
Farther east the reprieve is more encouraging. In Washington, D.C., temperatures are forecast to reach the high 50s on Monday and mid-60s on Tuesday. New York and Philadelphia temperatures will approach 60 degrees.
Parts of New England were getting their first significant snow of the season. The weather service reported 7 inches of snow had already fallen early Thursday in parts of central and western Massachusetts and Connecticut.
In Princeton, Massachusetts, 60 miles northwest of Boston, Wachusett Mountain Ski Area opened for the first time this season.
Boston was receiving its first measurable snow, although it measured less than an inch early Thursday. The wet snow, mixed with rain in some places, made for a messy morning commute. Some school districts closed for the day or delayed openings.
The cold snap will usher freezing temperatures into the South. Atlanta was bracing for lows in the low-to-mid 20s on Thursday and Friday. The low on Thursday in Jackson, Mississippi, was forecast at 25 degrees. The forecast low for Birmingham, Alabama, was 22 degrees Thursday night and 25 degrees on Friday. And it will be even colder in outlying areas.
“Clear tonight with a widespread hard freeze with lows from the upper teens northwest to the mid 20s southeast,” the weather service office in Birmingham warned.
Cold air and a frigid wind chill in South Florida this week are expected to give rise to a phenomenon somewhat unique to that part of the country: falling iguanas.
The invasive reptile − believed to have been introduced to the state in the 1960s as part of the exotic-pet trade − normally thrives in the Florida heat, which matches the iguanas’ native range, which extends from Central America to tropical regions of South America and some eastern Caribbean islands. But when cold fronts move in carrying chilly northern winds, temperatures under 50 degrees can immobilize iguanas in trees, causing them to lose their grip and fall to the ground.
− Stephen J. Beard
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.
Contributing: Doyle Rice
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