More than 60 million Americans are bracing for dangerous cold Wednesday through the weekend, bolstering the impact of a cross-country winter storm.
Temperatures are expected to plunge as much as 50 degrees below February averages, smashing more than 270 records across at least 27 states.
The cold will be most severe in central states such as Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and Iowa, where temperatures could dip as low as -45°F with -60°F wind chills.
This Arctic blast with strengthen a storm system that has been trekking across the US this week and is expected to hit the mid-Atlantic today.
In eastern states, temperatures are expected to drop as low as -10°F with wind chills down to -40°F as a winter storm hits Wednesday.
Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina will face the brunt of its impact, with some regions seeing over two feet of snow.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued winter weather advisories and winter storm warnings across these three states as residents brace for treacherous travel conditions, school closures and potential power outages.
Snow will begin falling along the mid-Atlantic coast today as the storm moves into the region, and is expected to persist through early Thursday. From this afternoon into tonight, snow could fall at a rate of one to two inches per hour.
Temperatures are expected to plunge as much as 50 degrees below February averages, smashing more than 270 records across at least 27 states
Millions of Americans are in the path of a dangerous snowstorm that meteorologists say will cause travel chaos (stock)
The NWS advised against going outside unless absolutely necessary, and urged people to dress in layers including a hat, face mask and gloves as this frigid cold can cause frostbite within 10 minutes of exposure.
Parts of Oklahoma and Kansas are currently below the freezing part and meteorologist said it won’t let up until at least Saturday.
And Dallas will see temperatures over 30 degrees below its average of 61 degrees this time of year.
But a winter storm is also trailing along the country, which will cause travel chaos in Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia.
Freezing rain is likely to fall in eastern North Carolina, which could lead to a buildup of ice on trees that may cause widespread power outages.
Ice on the roads could make for treacherous travel conditions in cities such as Charlotte, Greenville and Fayetteville, North Carolina; and Greenville to Darlington, South Carolina.
‘At this intensity, crews may not be able to keep up with the storm and some major highways, including interstates 64, 85 and 95, may be forced to close. Motorists could become stranded,’ AccuWeather reported.
AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said: ‘Much of Virginia and North Carolina are going to be an absolute mess with snow and dangerous ice.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued winter weather advisories and winter storm warnings across these three states that are expected to bear the brunt of the storm’s impact
Snow will begin falling along the mid-Atlantic coast today as the storm moves into the region, and is expected to persist through early Thursday, according to AccuWeather
‘The heaviest snow accumulations are expected around Richmond, Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Salisbury, Maryland.’
Numerous school districts throughout these states opted to close Wednesday in anticipation of the storm’s arrival.
While North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland are in for some especially brutal winter weather, this storm’s impact extends to other states as well.
It moved into the northern Pacific last week and began spreading snow southeastward across the Rockies before entering the central Plains early this week.
Moist air from the Gulf has fueled the storm as it continues to trek eastward.
Now arriving in the mid-Atlantic, the storm’s impact will stretch from Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois and Indiana to the Eastern Seaboard, hitting coastal areas as far north as Boston, Massachusetts.
Some light snow could fall across the Ohio Valley, the Great Lakes region, the central Appalachians, the upper part of the mid-Atlantic coast and southern New England.
Numerous school districts throughout Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina opted to close today in anticipation of up to a foot of snow. Centreville, Maryland; Feb. 12, 2025
These states have already seen above average snowfall this winter. A pedestrian crosses the street as snow falls during a winter storm in Bethesda, Maryland on Jan. 6, 2025
Across most of this zone, snowfall will range from a few flakes to a couple of inches, but this could still create hazards for drivers including sudden drops in visibility and slippery, snow-dusted roads, according to AccuWeather.
It’s also possible that the storm could track further north just before it moves offshore, and this would bring light snow to the Interstate 95 corridor of the upper mid-Atlantic and southeastern New England.
It’s unlikely that this would result in a major snowstorm from Washington DC to Philadelphia, New York City and Boston, meteorologists said.
But several inches are expected in far southern New Jersey, eastern Long Island, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
After the storm finally moves offshore Thursday, cold winds will pick up in its wake.
Nearly two dozen states were already forecast to experience life-threatening cold earlier this week.
NWS officials have advised against going outside unless absolutely necessary, and urged people to dress in layers including a hat, face mask and gloves as this frigid cold can cause frostbite within 10 minutes of exposure.
These temperatures could mean that snow from this mid-week storm will stick around through the end of the week, even in southernmost states where natural melting tends to kick soon after a storm moves out of the area.
But aside from the cold, meteorologists expect less severe winter weather for the second half of February.
This week’s storm should be the grand-finale in a series of storms that have pummeled the nation since the start of the month, with many states barely able to recover between onslaughts of heavy winter precipitation.
