Have the Shovels/Ice Melt Ready if You Live North of I-40; Be Ready to Bundle Up, TOO!

Get ready for a busy couple of weeks as a full return of winter is on its WAAY. If you remember in the Winter Outlook that was presented in October, I mentioned a cold winter was expected for much of the Eastern U.S. and that February would likely be the coldest. We had a period of significant chill in January with a period of a thaw but now the next two weeks is going to give early January's cold a run for its money. Cold will again make its way all the way out of the Arctic and into the eastern U.S. and as far south as the Gulf coast during this period. In addition, unlike in January, the southern jetstream is active and will bring several systems out of the Southwest and head the eastward through the southern tier of the U.S. This will likely spread snow/ice for many along and north of the I-40 corridor. May even see the chance for snow/ice making it further south all the way to the I-20 corridor, once or twice.

The first of the systems and the one that will help get the cold moving south again is a system now spinning up in the southern tip of Texas. This storm system will be tracking northeast and will move into the "Heart of Dixie" by Friday evening. Abundant rainfall will fall from southeast Louisiana through the Carolinas where a wide swath of 1" to 3" of rain is likely. Further north into the Mid-Atlantic, BIG snowfall is expected. How much? Well, if you remember just before Christmas a blizzard ravaged the Mid-Atlantic with 1 to 2 feet of snow. I expect this storm will be close to matching that storm and potentially beating it! If you live in northern Virginia, through Washington DC to the southern tip of New Jersey GET READY! This storm will also provide a large area of 8" to 12" of snowfall along I-70 through Ohio from the Indiana border and then along the I-80 corridor through Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Surround this, will be an extensive 3" to 6" snow that will stretch from central Missouri through Indiana and as far north as Long Island and as far south as the Ohio River into northwest North Carolina. In addition a wide swath of 1" to 4" snow is expected all through the Plains. Here are a few specific location forecasts:

Omaha: 3"-6"

Kansas City: 2"-4"

Des Moines: 2"-4"

Chicago: 1"-2"

St. Louis: 3" – 6"

Indianapolis: 3"-6"

Columbus, OH: 3"-6"

Pittsburgh: 5" to 8"

Philadelphia: 12"-16"

Baltimore: 16"-22"

Washington DC: 18"-24"

New York: 2"- 4"

Now this is just storm #1 for the next 7 to 10 day period. Storm #2 arrives into the Plains by Sunday evening with more SNOW. This system will merge with the next Arctic cold front that will be sliding southeast out of the Plains and through the eastern U.S., early next week, redelivering winter temperatures. This system will likely spread a wide swath of an additional 2" to 4" of snow, isolated spots up to 6" from Kansas through the Ozarks and into the Ohio Valley, Sunday evening through Tuesday. A possible storm #3 may bring snow a bit further south, I-40 corridor again? This would take place mid to late next week and it appears it would not be the last with another 2 or three to follow during the following 7 to 10 day period. It will definitely be busy and if you want snow and have not seen much yet, especially along the I-20 corridor and northward to I-40, this stretch may provide you with your chance. Stay tuned!