US weather: Blizzard warnings, freezing rain to dampen New Year's celebrations—Check affected areas, cities
Beginning on Sunday, a storm system will travel across the Midwest, dropping about 5 to 8 inches of snow. Even so, some specific locations might get much more than that
After a huge snowstorm messed up travel plans after Christmas and caused New York and New Jersey to declare emergencies, another weather pattern is on its way. This quick-moving storm will deliver a combination of rain, snow, and very cold air from the North Pole to the East Coast just as the New Year begins.
Heavy snow and flooding in Midwest and Great Lakes
Beginning on Sunday, a storm system will travel across the Midwest, dropping about 5 to 8 inches of snow. Even so, some specific locations might get much more than that.
Sections of the northern Great Lakes and northern New York State could get as much as 18 inches of snow.
A blizzard warning is currently in effect for Minnesota, Wisconsin, and northern Michigan. In these spots, powerful winds reaching 55 mph might blow the snow everywhere, making it almost impossible to see.
Total whiteout conditions, where you cannot see anything in front of you, are expected just to the west of Minneapolis.
Warnings about winter weather have also been sent out from Wisconsin all the way to New Jersey and most of the Northeast. In these areas, ice and freezing rain could create problems from Sunday into Sunday night. In urban centers such as Chicago, Cleveland, and Buffalo, warm rain landing on the snow that is already on the ground could make it melt very fast, leading to sudden floods. Freezing rain will reach the Hudson Valley and New England by late Sunday afternoon or evening. This could create a slippery layer of ice on surfaces that haven't been salted, like walkways and smaller side streets.
Big cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Boston will mainly experience regular rain. However, when the storm first starts, even these major hubs might see some ice pellets or freezing rain. This will last until the air warms up enough to turn everything into plain rain.
Harsh storms in South and Tennessee Valley
As the cold air pushes further south, it brings a small (Level 1 out of 5) risk of dangerous weather. This could impact places like Indianapolis, St. Louis, Louisville, and Nashville. The biggest concerns in these areas will be very strong winds that can cause damage and a slight chance of individual tornadoes forming.
Freezing rain and ice in Northeast and New England
While the busy I-95 highway area will mostly get rain, the regions further north are looking at much more dangerous situations. Freezing rain and ice (up to a tenth of an inch) are predicted for New England, particularly in the mountains and high spots. Additionally, very strong wind gusts throughout the whole region might knock out electricity for some people.
New Year weather forecast
By Sunday night, the rain will wash away the old snow in the Northeast. But as the storm moves out, a burst of extremely cold Arctic air will rush in. This will make temperatures fall much lower than what is normal for this time of year. It will also cause enough snow in Western New York to require plowing through Tuesday.
Over this weekend, a storm will travel across the entire country. It will bring extra snow to the mountains in the West on Saturday before finally bringing rain to the East Coast on Sunday.