Significant snow and ice will hit parts of US on Friday into the weekend
A strong winter storm will develop on Friday in the Plains and travel quickly east through the weekend.
It will bring the possibility of snow, freezing rain and sleet to a large chunk of the country.
The Midwest could see the highest snowfall totals. Minnesota, portions of Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin and northern New England could see 8-12 inches of snow.
These areas could experience blowing snow due to the high winds, which will cause near whiteout conditions on roadways. Air travel will most likely experience long delays and roads will be treacherous.
“This has the potential to be one of the most impactful winter storms of the season for the Upper Midwest,” says CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward.
Much of the Ohio Valley and the Southern Plains could see a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain. These icy conditions will make travel a problem in Oklahoma City, Kansas City and St. Louis. Accumulating ice will potentially knock down trees and power lines, causing numerous power outages.
The Northeast will see snow on Saturday afternoon with coastal areas, including New York City and Boston getting in the mix. Amounts will be small — about an inch or less. The snow will change over to rain by Saturday evening and overnight.
Interior portions of the Northeast will see much more snow — 8-12 inches for Upstate New York and up to 6 inches in northern Maine.
“After the storm moves out, the bitter cold will settle in. High temperatures in the region will remain in the single digits Sunday and into the early part of next week, while overnight temperatures will dip to 10 to 20 degrees below zero,” according to Ward.
