During the holiday weekend, a big winter storm will produce accumulating and travel-halting snowfall across at least 18 states from the southern United States to the Midwest, and even parts of Canada, according to meteorologists.
Travel Difficulties
Major travel difficulties are expected due to the cross-continent storm's timing, which coincides with the New Year's holiday. As aircraft and employees are stranded or displaced by the storm, flight delays and cancellations are anticipated to skyrocket.
"This will be a major storm with 3-8 inches of snow over the central United States, including Chicago and many other centers," said AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno.
Whiteout All Over the US
Aside from Chicago, the main cities of Denver, Kansas City, Missouri, Des Moines, Iowa, Omaha, Nebraska, Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin, and Grand Rapids, Michigan are all in the zone where moderate to heavy snow is forecast to fall over the New Year's weekend.
After dumping inches of rain and up to a foot of snow in Southern California through Thursday, the storm will move quickly across the Colorado Rockies on Friday and Friday night, dumping significant snow in certain areas. Colorado's mountains are expected to receive 6-12 inches of snow, with greater amounts expected in certain regions. The storm is expected to arrive late Friday, just as New Year's Eve revelers begin their celebrations, bringing enough snow to shovel and plow. As of Dec. 29, the Mile High City has gotten less than an inch of snow, compared to an average of over 19 inches for this time of year.
As the storm progresses, many cities, including Denver, will likely witness a quick shift to midwinter conditions, with temperatures plummeting into the 20s, teens, and even single digits Fahrenheit in a matter of hours.
Further east, around Topeka, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri, the storm may start as rain, but it will swiftly change to an ice mix and then snow. On Friday night, temperatures dropping from the mid-50s to the 20s and teens can form a film of ice beneath the snow, causing it to stick to untreated surfaces. On New Year's Day, temperatures in northern Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and northern Missouri are expected to continue to drop, maybe down to single digits.
Some locations, ranging from the central and southern Plains to the Midwest and the northern tier of the Northeast, may see freezing rain or a quick freeze-up, leaving surfaces coated in ice.
Temperature Drop
Even in locations where rain stops and roads dry before the arrival of cold air, the temperature drop from October-like warmth to January's bitter cold might be a rude awakening for those living in the Plains states. After a sunny day in Dallas on Friday with highs in the 70s F, temperatures are expected to drop to the 50s and 40s on New Year's Day and into the 20s Saturday night.
Across the aftermath of the storm, temperatures in the central and southern Plains will vary from below zero to single digits due to the mix of wind and cold, dry air. In some situations, it may feel 50, 60, or even 80 degrees cooler on New Year's Day than it did during much of December.
Chicago will be in the path of the storm, which is expected to dump several inches of snow on New Year's Day, despite the possibility of rain at the storm's beginning late Friday night to early Saturday morning. On Tuesday, 1.5 inches of snow fell at O'Hare Airport, ending Chicago's days with no measurable snow.
Winter Storm
Depending on how long any rain lasts before the storm starts, Chicagoland might easily reach its seasonal snowfall total. Six inches or more of snow may fall on New Year's Day. Chicago usually has roughly 9 inches of snow on the ground by the end of December.
Even though the majority of the snow from the storm will likely miss Detroit and Toledo, Ohio, with rain forecast for the majority of the event from Friday night to New Year's Day, enough cold air can sweep in quickly enough for a quick freeze, as well as intermittent snow and slick conditions from late Saturday to Saturday night. From Friday night through New Year's Day, snow may accumulate at a pace of 1-2 inches per hour across the central area of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, causing challenging travel conditions.
The storm is expected to rain mostly from the central Appalachians through most Northeast. Still, when cold air rushes in on the backside Saturday night into early Sunday, a snowy or ice mix is possible in parts of northern and western New York state and northern Maine.
Heavy rain from the storm is predicted to hold off until after midnight on New Year's Eve in New York City and Boston, but forecasts say a passing rain shower cannot be ruled out during the evening hours. Travel delays may still be experienced on New Year's Day owing to patches of heavy rain, patchy fog, and wet roadways.
Frigid New Year Weekend
From Saturday through early Sunday, a foot (25 cm) of snow will fall over central parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, with locally greater quantities. On the other hand, a glaze of ice may be highly disruptive and dangerous in parts of Canada's Ottawa and St. Lawrence valleys.
From Friday through Sunday, the same powerful winter storm will be responsible for a big outbreak of severe weather, including tornadoes, from sections of Texas to the Ohio and Tennessee basins.
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