Two Large Storm Systems Will Bring a Mixed Bag of Weather to Millions of Americans

Posted: February 22, 2022 11:38 am

Two major storms are taking aim at a large part of the U.S. this week, bringing a number of inclement weather conditions that you may want to be aware of.

First Storms Brings Rain to the South and Snow to the North

The first storm fired up Monday morning, bringing persistent rain and thunderstorms in the South in an area reaching from eastern Texas through to Alabama. Severe weather and snow are going to be a problem through at least Tuesday for parts of southern Indiana and Illinois southward into Louisiana and Mississippi.

The northern side of the storm will bring the chance of up to 6 inches of snow. This cold edge of the snow buried parts of the Dakotas, Montana, Wisconsin, and Michigan on Monday with more on the way. Travel was dicey through some portions of interstates 90 and 94 as the snow fell at a fast clip. A multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 94 injured at least half a dozen people when white conditions hit just to the west of Fargo, North Dakota.

By the time that the snow winds down on Wednesday, it could bring up to two feet of white stuff to areas such as Duluth, Minnesota. Minneapolis may see 6 – 12 inches over the next 24 hours. The snow will eventually move into the upper Great Lakes before finally diminishing.

In addition to the heavier snow to the north, a wintry mix of sleet and ice is forecast for parts of Iowa, southern Wisconsin, and the northern tier of Missouri and Illinois. This ice will eventually spread into Michigan’s Lower Peninsula before tracking into Upstate New York and parts of New England late Tuesday and into Wednesday.

This system is also expected to deliver rain to cities such as Detroit, New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston. Although Chicago is not forecast to see any significant accumulation, the air may be cold enough to cause some of the standing water to freeze up late Tuesday.

Details of Second Storm

The second storm system of the week will impact areas farther to the south and the east when compared to the first weather event. The cold air pervading the north to start the week will be brought down to the south with this second system.

This system will affect the Mississippi Valley and Ohio Valley with significantly colder temperatures. For instance, the forecast high for Indianapolis on Tuesday will be near 60 degrees. However, the mercury will struggle to climb out of the lower 30s on Wednesday and Thursday. The story will be the same in New York City with temperatures shifting from the mid-60s on Wednesday to the lower 30s by Thursday night.

Whether or not an area climbs above freezing will affect if the precipitation falls as rain, ice, or snow. Ice may be the major weather maker in a stretch of land including Dallas, Little Rock, Pittsburgh, New York City, and Boston. This ice may be enough in some places to bring down small tree branches and cause isolated power outages.

Snow is forecast from central Oklahoma stretching to the northeast all the way into northern New England. Approximately 3 – 6 inches of snow is forecast in central Missouri to northern portions of Ohio and as far as southeastern Michigan. This snow is expected to begin late Wednesday and continue into Friday. This is the same storm system that will bring snow from the West Coast and into the Rockies earlier in the week, impacting all but the extreme corners of the U.S.

The heaviest snow is predicted for the New England area beginning on Thursday and lasting until late Friday. Up to 18 inches of snow may fall in central and southern Vermont, New Hampshire, and in the far northwestern corner of Massachusetts.

This snow will wreak havoc on a large number of major highways, including interstates 5, 25, 40, 55, 65, 70, 75, 79, 80, 81, 90, and 95. It will be more than just road travel that will be impacted by this second storm of the week. Delays and cancellations at airport hubs in Denver, St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh, New York City, and Boston will also be likely as the storm pushes from west to east in the coming days. The ripple effects of these travel delays may last well into the weekend.

Flooding an Additional Concern

Heavy rainfall on the southern edge of the storm may be too much for some waterlogged areas. The greatest risk of small stream or river flooding will come in the northern tier of Louisiana through the Ohio Valley and into Pennsylvania. At least 2 – 4 inches of rain is expected in this region between the two storms, making it an extremely soggy week with the one-two punch.

This rain will combine with rapidly melting snow in the central Appalachians to aggravate the potential of flooding. Even just another inch of rain may send some of the smaller bodies of water over the edge.