Prepare yourselves, Outsiders. Another major winter storm is brewing, and it could affect millions.
It seems as though we can’t catch a break this winter.
Record-breaking snowstorms have hit nearly every region of the U.S. this winter, especially in January. And while a bomb cyclone is currently wreaking havoc on New England this weekend, meteorologists are predicting yet another storm. This time, the weather could affect states from Texas through Maine.
The system should hit right around Groundhog Day (Feb 2nd), and it could bring snow, ice, floods, and severe thunderstorms.
Meteorologists at Accuweather are watching a 2,000 mile-long radius that extends from the central Rockies to the Eastern Seaboard for the February event.
Major Winter Storm Could Cause Travel Delays on Groundhog Day
As this major winter storm begins, it will bring rain and snow to parts of the Northwest just before January closes. Then, the front should strengthen as it travels across the Rockies and continues into the southern Plains at the beginning of February.
Trouble could begin when the storm collides with the warm, moist air around the Gulf of Mexico and the much colder air moving out of Canada. The mix is expected to create the perfect environment for an area of low pressure to worsen.
The northern and western states in the path of the storm will likely see inches to feet of snow. And southern and eastern states should expect heavy rain and possibly severe thunderstorms if everything plays out as expected.
Forecasters haven’t narrowed down the exact path of the snowiest areas just yet. However, they believe that Denver, CO; Kansas City, Missouri; Chicago, IL; and Detroit, MI are at the highest risk.
Should the storm expand, states as far south as Oklahoma and St. Louis and as far north as Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin could see accumulation.
Interestingly, the weather should take place on the anniversary of the historic Groundhog Day Blizzard of 2011. That event left thousands of Chicago travelers stuck on major highways.
Meteorologists aren’t sure if this new storm will be as dangerous as the 2011 blizzard. But they still warn that it doesn’t take much to create threatening travel conditions, especially if snow and ice start to fall during commute times.
And ice is definitely a possibility.
“Not only would snow be a concern, but the warm air lifting and riding over the cold air at the surface can also lead to an extensive swath of icy conditions,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said. ” This corridor could extend from the southern Plains to the lower and middle Mississippi River Valley, Ohio River Valley, and into the Great Lakes.”
Forecasters will have a better idea of how this major storm will unfold in the new couple of days. So stay tuned to your local weather stations.
