‘Potentially catastrophic’ snow, ice storm to blast most of Midwest, East Coast through weekend

A “potentially catastrophic” snow and ice storm will blast several states across the US this weekend — blanketing roads and trees and causing widespread power outages, forecasters warned. 

The storm, which will arrive late this week and last into the weekend, will be a “widespread potentially catastrophic event from Texas to the Carolinas,” according to Ryan Maue, a former chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“I don’t know how people are going to deal with it,” Maue said.

A large swath of heavy snow, sleet, and treacherous freezing rain will fall starting Friday across most of the Midwest, before veering toward the East Coast through Sunday, the National Weather Service warned.  Ice could weigh down trees and powerlines, fueling massive outages.

Up to two feet of snow can fall in the southern Appalachians, AccuWeather reported. 

Bone-chilling temperatures will persist in many areas, so ice may remain on roads and sidewalks, forecasters said. 

“This is not good. Plan now! Plan for going day(s) without power this weekend,” cautioned meteorologist Jordan Steele. 

“School cancellations next week. Do not plan a road trip this weekend,” Steele wrote on X. 

The major winter storm is being fueled by a cold arctic air mass diving south from Canada, which will clash with cold temperatures and rain streaming eastward across the southern US. 

“This is extreme, even for this being the peak of winter,” National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Jackson said of the frigid temperatures. 

Most of the US is already experiencing unusually cold temperatures, but the blast of arctic air could see them plummet to the coldest of the season

The barrage of snow and sleet could cause major travel hiccups, especially in southern states that have less equipment to clear roads of snow and ice. 

Many of the nation’s major air travel hubs are expected to be impacted, including Dallas, Atlanta, Memphis, Tennessee, and Charlotte, North Carolina. 

On Monday, treacherous winter weather in Michigan caused more than 100 vehicles to pile up after crashing and sliding on an interstate southwest of Grand Rapids. 

The exact timing and path of the storm were still unclear on Tuesday, as forecasters said it is difficult to predict which areas will be battered with rain, snow, or ice. 

Some of the storm’s earliest impacts could be felt in Texas on Friday, when the arctic air mass will move south through much of the state. 

“At the same time, we’re expecting rain to move into much of the state,” said National Weather Service forecaster Sam Shamburger.

With Post wires