Summary: A powerful storm will sweep through the Eastern half of the U.S. through the end of this week with multiple hazards. A narrow zone of heavy snow and a wintry mix is expected from the south-central Plains to the Great Lakes. Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and a few strong tornadoes from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Southeast, especially in the Tennessee Valley and Mid South today. A Quick burst of heavy snow will extend from northern Oklahoma to southern Michigan today, with wintry weather also possible across far northern and western New York as well as northern Maine into Friday morning. Also there is a bitter cold airmass found across the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains that is ahead of an approaching clipper system that may produce blizzard conditions on Friday.
Tornadoes are possible from Mississippi and northern Alabama to western portions of Tennessee and Kentucky.
Delays in freight movement in the following areas should be expected due to reduced speeds, low visibility and the potential for road closures. Large cities and freight hubs that could experience significant disruptions include but are not limited to: Albuquerque, NM; Columbia, MO; St. Louis, MO; Denver, CO; Parsons, KS; Topeka, KS; Kansas City, MO; Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI and Albany, NY.
Major lanes of concern:
- Interstate 35 from Oklahoma City to Wichita, Kansas
- Interstate 44 from Oklahoma City to St. Louis
- Interstate 70 from Topeka, Kansas, to St. Louis
- Interstate 90 from Chicago to Albany, New York
Montana
High Wind Warning
Central Montana is under a high wind warning from 9am this morning to 6pm MST tonight.
- West wind 30 - 40 mph with gusts up to 65mph
North Dakota
Wind Chill Advisory / Winter Storm Watch
Eastern North Dakota is under wind chill advisory until noon today. A winter storm watch is in effect from late tonight through Friday afternoon. For the winter storm watch, blizzard conditions are possible.
- Wind chills -40
- Blizzard conditions possible; Total snow accumulations up to 2 inches possible; Wind gusts as high as 60 mph
Minnesota
Wind Chill Advisory / Winter Storm Watch
Wind Chill Advisory is in effect until noon today for northern Minnesota. A winter storm watch is in effect from late tonight through Friday afternoon. For the winter storm watch, blizzard conditions are possible.
- Wind chills -40
- Blizzard conditions possible; Total snow accumulations up to 2 inches possible; Wind gusts as high as 60 mph
New Mexico
Winter Weather Advisory
Central New Mexico to include Santa Fe is under a winter weather advisory from 5pm MST through this afternoon. Snow is expected.
- 5-9 inches snow accumulation
Kansas
Winter Storm Warning / Winter Weather Advisory
Most of south central and southeastern Kansas are under a winter storm warning. On the edge of the storm warning area is where the winter weather advisory takes place. This is in place until 6pm CST this evening. Mixed precipitation is expected eventually changing over to snow.
- 7-9 inches of snow accumulation
- Ice accumulation of around one tenth of an inch
- Winds gusting over 40mph
Oklahoma
Winter Storm Warning / Winter Weather Advisory
A winter storm warning is in effect for northern and northwest Oklahoma until 6pm CST tonight. Heavy snow is expected.
- 2-5 inches snow and sleet accumulation
- Ice accumulation of around one tenth of an inch
- Winds gusting as high as 45ph
- In the weather advisory extending over northern Oklahoma, 1-3 inches of snow is expected.
Missouri
Winter Storm Warning
A winter storm warning is in effect for Missouri until 6pm CST this evening. A wintry mix occurred overnight. This will be followed by snow, moderate to heavy at times this morning and early afternoon.
- 4-8 inches snow accumulation
- Ice accumulation of up to one tenth of an inch expected
- Winds gusting as high as 40 mph
Illinois
Winter Storm Warning / Winter Weather Advisory
A winter storm warning is in effect for portions of central and west central Illinois. Mixed precipitation is expected with it changing over to heavy snow. Portions of south central and southwest Illinois are under a winter weather advisory until 9pm this evening.
- 5-9 inches snow accumulation
- Ice accumulation of one tenth to two tenths of an inch
- North winds gusting as high as 40 mph
- For areas in the winter weather advisory: up to 3 inches of snow, sleet accumulations around one quarter of an inch, ice accumulations up to one tenth of an inch; Winds gusting as high as 35 mph
Ohio
Winter Weather Advisory
Northern Ohio is under a winter weather advisory from 10 pm tonight until 4am on Friday. Mixed precipitation is expected. Rain is expected to turn to sleet and then snow this evening. Temperatures will fall rapidly from near 50 degrees to the teens overnight.
- Up to 2 inches snow and sleet accumulations
- Ice accumulations of a light glaze up to a tenth of an inch
Pennsylvania
Winter Weather Advisory
Northwestern Pennsylvania is under a winter weather advisory from 7pm tonight until 7am on Friday. Mixed precipitation is expected. Rain will change to freezing rain, sleet, and then snow this evening. Temperatures will fall rapidly into the teens overnight.
- 2-4 inches snow and sleet accumulations
- Ice accumulations of up to one tenth of an inch
- North winds gusting as high as 30 mph
New York
Winter Weather Advisory
A winter weather advisory is in effect from midnight tonight until 9am on Friday for most of western New York along the lake and extending inward and extending to Upstate New York. Mixed precipitation is expected. Rain is expected to change to sleet and freezing rain just after midnight, becoming snow by Friday morning.
- Up to one inch of snow accumulation
- Light glaze of ice
Vermont
Winter Weather Advisory
Vermont has a winter weather advisory in place starting at 7pm tonight through 1pm on Friday. Mixed precipitation is expected.
- 1-4 inches snow accumulation
- Ice accumulations of a glaze to around one tenth of an inch
Maine
Winter Weather Advisory
Northern Maine is under a winter weather advisory from midnight tonight until noon on Friday. Rain changing to mixed precipitation expected.
- 2-5 inches snow accumulation
- Three quarters to an inch of sleet accumulation
- Ice accumulations of around one tenth of an inch expected.
- Winds gusting as high as 35 mph
