Cold Temperatures to Exacerbate Cleanup Efforts After Massive Winter Storm

Posted: February 6, 2022 11:29 am

Even though the winter storm that gripped over half of the nation last week has finally let up, the cold temperatures are going to stick around. Cold air is continuing to move into the Northeast on the back end of the weather maker, sending the mercury plummeting and causing more issues for those still without power.

Power Outages Continue

By Saturday morning, there were only 200,000 customers without power after an ice storm crippled much of the central U.S. However, the frigid temperatures may stymie the efforts of crews to restore power to those still in the dark. Crews are looking at the potential of equipment problems because of the outside temperature. Even when the temperature climbs a bit during the day, the overnight low readings are causing standing water on the roads to freeze again. This is complicating travel and making it difficult for some people to return to normalcy.

Cold Start to Sunday

Temperatures will rebound slightly Sunday afternoon after a bitterly cold start to the day. This warm-up will help to speed up the cleanup efforts. Readings are forecast to be just barely within average for early February.

The mass of cold air still in place will cause the icy conditions to hang around for a few more days. Sleet and slush will be packed into many streets and sidewalks throughout the central portion of the U.S. stretching into the Appalachians.

While it was mostly rain that fell in New York City and Boston as a result of this storm, the water that it left behind has the potential to turn into a clear layer of ice that is difficult for motorists to spot. Take care when driving on roads that appear to just be wet.

Forecasters are also warning that ice may begin to melt and fall from trees. Take extra caution if you decide to take advantage and go for a walk if your area is still dealing with ice accumulation. As tree limbs shift, ice may fall to the ground in large chunks.

Runoff from the rain may also cause water to flood secondary roads. The highest potential for flooding will be in spots in the Northeast that do not have existing water mitigation systems in place.

Alberta Clipper on the Way

Although the bulk of the weekend will be dry for most of the country that got hit by last week’s storm, a quickly-moving Alberta clipper will bring more wintry precipitation to some areas. Accumulating snow will be the norm in a region stretching from the northern Plains and into the Great Lakes. Meanwhile, the Northeast will just see a light dusting out of this clipper storm.

The majority of the snow accompanying this clipper will fall in the northern tier of North Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and upstate New York. This snow will likely fire up over the weekend and continue into Monday. The system will move to the east on Sunday, bringing the chance of snow accumulation to parts of the Upper Midwest and eastern edge of the Great Lakes by Monday.

Wind to Accompany Clipper Storm

In addition to the cold temperatures and snow showers, the system will also usher in gusty winds. These strong winds may create blizzard-like conditions for some areas of the northern Plains on Sunday and Monday.

Another blast of cold air will come in behind the clipper on Monday. This blast may instigate a few light snow flurries stretching from Chicago into Detroit before eventually expanding into the interior Northeast. The mercury may drop into the single digits and even the negative teens across some parts of the Upper Midwest early Monday and again in the overnight hours.

This is not likely going to be the last that this part of the U.S. sees of the clipper storms. Forecasters are predicting a pattern of these systems coming down from Canada into the Midwest over the coming weeks.