As the first of three winter storms moves across the US on Tuesday, heavy snow is forecast for the mid-Atlantic, including Washington and Baltimore, while ice storms are a concern for the mountains of western North Carolina.
Over 80 million people are under winter weather alerts, spanning from coast to coast, as snow and rain are already underway in the Ohio Valley.
Cities such as Louisville, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio, can expect a few inches of snow, along with the potential for a light glaze of ice. Meanwhile, areas farther south, where temperatures will be too warm for snow, will see heavy rain developing across the mid-South.
As the storm shifts east, impacts will be felt in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast into Wednesday before heading offshore.
As the snow ends in the Northeast, another storm will be forming over the Plains, continuing the week’s trend of storms following this path.
The FOX Forecast Center said snow coverage could extend over nearly two dozen states. However, due to the reduced cold air, snowfall totals are expected to remain light to moderate.
Higher elevations in West Virginia and Virginia, as well as parts of southern New Jersey, could receive 3 to 5 inches of snow, with localized areas seeing 5 to 8 inches.
This includes Washington, Baltimore, Dover in Delaware and Atlantic City in New Jersey.
Philadelphia is on the edge of higher snow totals as projections range from 1 to 3 inches, with a low chance of potentially exceeding 3 inches.
If snowfall surpasses 2 inches in Philadelphia, it would mark the city’s snowiest storm of the season, the FOX Forecast Center said.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency as forecasts call for areas of accumulating snow, freezing rain, ice and excessive rainfall that could cause flooding, power outages and hazardous travel conditions.
“With another round of winter weather across the state this week forecasted to bring heavy snow and ice, I am declaring a state of emergency so we can move resources around the state,” Youngkin said. “I urge all Virginians to monitor your local forecast and to prepare for possible impacts to roadways and infrastructure beginning overnight Monday throughout Tuesday.”
In preparation for the snow, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser has also ordered the district’s Snow Team to begin salting roads, including parts of the National Highway System.
The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina, has issued an ice storm warning for portions of the western North Carolina mountains, including Avery County and the high elevations of Burke County.
The warning is in effect until 7 a.m. Wednesday.
The primary concern is significant ice accumulation, with forecasts predicting around a quarter of an inch of ice in most affected areas.
However, locations along and east of Highway 221 could see up to half an inch of ice.
The weight of the ice could also cause tree limbs to break and power lines to snap, leading to widespread power outages.
