Dangerously cold arctic air moves into US freezing out more than 100 million over holiday weekend
Travel impacts are expected as multiple inches of snow fall over major metro areas
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Your support makes all the difference.Following this week’s storms, more winter weather will continue to pound much of the eastern U.S. this weekend, bringing impacts for more than 100 million Americans ahead of dangerously cold arctic air.
Much of the nation is set for a triple threat this weekend of rain, snow and bitter cold, as a storm moves east of the Rockies.
"Storms have been on a fast track across the U.S. since the start of the month, and the next one on deck will be no exception," forecasting company AccuWeather’s Senior Director of Forecast Operations Dan DePodwin said in a statement. "Most storms have been crossing the country in three days."
Inclement weather will start over the central Plains, creating slippery driving conditions in Nebraska as snow, sleet, and drizzle falls.
But snow has already started in some places, including the Midwest and Great Lakes regions.
Significant snow is expected to fall there, with three and six inches falling over Michigan’s Grand Rapids area.
But, as much as eight inches could hit areas north of I-69 by Sunday night and up to seven inches across the metropolitan Detroit area.
"It will be intense, short blasts of moderate to heavy bursts of snow," weather service meteorologist Cory Behnke told the Detroit Free Press. "You get a quick reduction in visibility, and you can get visibility near zero."
Multiple inches of snow had already fallen in Oakland County, and over three-and-a-half inches were reported at Detroit Metro Airport.
As many as 10 inches could fall in the region through New England this weekend, as sleet and ice coat the central Appalachians. An icy mix there is spreading into the Northeast.
In New York City, snow and rain will drench millions of residents. From the late afternoon on Saturday into the evening, parts of New York City and central Jersey should see between a coating and an inch of snow, according to FOX 5 New York.
The outlet noted that parts of New Jersey and the lower Hudson Valley could see as many as four inches of snow. The East Coast will also be unseasonably chilly, with highs in the 30s and 40s, thanks to the polar vortex.
"At lunchtime (Saturday), we got snow making a comeback for us here in the Tri-State for a short while," meteorologist Mike Woods said. "Looks like light to moderate snow setting up, and then it shifts to the north and east. And then, we bring in the warmer temperatures that changes to rain from the overnight hours Saturday into Sunday. But Sunday looks like it's going to be a wet one."
Through Saturday, airline delays are expected in major cities across the northern and eastern U.S., AccuWeather said. They include Minneapolis, Chicago, Albany, Boston, and Detroit.
“Direct airline delays are anticipated in these locations due to deicing operations. Ripple-effect flight cancelations will be possible across the U.S.,” it cautioned.
Some flights were already canceled in Washington D.C., according to tracker FlightAware.
More than 87,000 customers remained without power in Virginia, due to the inclement weather.
Severe thunderstorms will be possible over the lower Mississippi Valley Saturday, while excessive rainfall may bring flash and river flooding to the mid-Mississippi and Ohio valleys.
An impactful flooding event is forecast to emerge during the weekend over the Ohio Valley, Tennessee Valley, and parts of the Appalachians.
“With the heavy rain expected this weekend, the Ohio River is currently expected to reach 20 feet early Tuesday morning,” warned WTAE’s Brian Hutton Jr.
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