- A major winter storm is coming for the Midwest and Northeast on Wednesday and Thursday. AccuWeather says the storm will bring significant icy impacts.
- Experts say the ice will be the dangerous aspect.
- Downed tree limbs and power outages are very possible.
Forecasters predict more than 94 million people will be affected by an incoming winter storm, which will likely include ice and snow. AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham says a clash of warm, humid air and cold, arctic air will result in a myriad of impactful weather.
Buckingham is forecasting 1 to 3 inches of snow, from eastern Montana into northern Michigan, on Wednesday, Feb. 5. Also, 3 to 6 inches of snow are expected in the northern section of North Dakota and on to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Some localized areas might see up to 10 inches of the white stuff.
A narrow band of snow is also expected to develop across Pennsylvania on Wednesday, in advance of the ice. There will further be snow along the Pennsylvania to Maryland state line.
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Which areas will get hit the hardest?
A quarter of an inch of ice, or more, could occur on the I-80 and I-94 corridors in various states on Wednesday, including Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. AccuWeather also says significant ice storm impacts are expected from the central Appalachians, through northern Pennsylvania and into southern New York.
What are some of the hazards?
Travel conditions are expected to be dangerous in several cities, including Harrisburg, Scranton, State College and Williamsport, Pennsylvania, as well as Binghamton, New York and Cumberland, Maryland. Downed tree limbs and power outages are possible.
AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter says road closures are also possible, which would impact businesses and the supply chain. The I-95 corridor from Washington to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Boston and upstate New York is expected to get a shorter period of icing before conditions switch over to rain. Most of New England will also see a few inches of snow.
What about the rest of the week?
Colder air and gusty winds on the backside of the storm could make it difficult to restore power and treat icy roads.