Travel Disruptions Likely for Much of the Midwest, Plains, and East Coast

Posted: January 23, 2021 11:29 am

Brace yourself if you live in the Midwest or on the East Coast. A storm that is still currently sitting off of the Pacific Coast is set to roar across the country, dumping significant amounts of snow in many of the largest cities throughout the Midwest and eastward. A weak system will be followed by a much stronger one later in the weekend. Both systems have the potential of disrupting travel as they unleash their fury. Here is what to expect.

North Central States Most Likely to See Brunt of Both Storms: The North Central states are going to see the brunt of the system as both distinct storms may overlap as they merge together in parts of Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Some areas of Wisconsin and Michigan may also see a double dose of the wintry weather mix.

The first storm in the system will arrive this weekend, bringing one to six inches of snow starting in the northern Plains and extending through the Midwest. While most areas will be on the lower end of this accumulation, some isolated areas may see over six inches of snow.

Snow Amounts in Metro Areas: Minneapolis will begin to see flakes fly on Saturday afternoon. By the time dawn arrives on Sunday, the Twin Cities will likely be covered in three to six inches of new snow. Further east in Chicago, the first band of snow will enter the region late Saturday and into early Sunday. The Windy City is only likely to see about an inch of snow.

No stranger to snow during football season, forecasters predict three to six inches of snow in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The precipitation will pick up late Saturday and will continue through mid-day Sunday. The snow is expected to stop just in time for kickoff of the NFC Championship game between the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Expect stadium crews to be busy removing snow from the field and stands up until the last minute.

This first arm of the system is expected to weaken once it hits the Great Lakes. However, residents should not breathe easy as the second storm will be right on its heels. The second punch will affect a much larger area, stretching from northeastern Kansas all the way to eastern New York state and into the southern parts of New England.

Second Punch Follows Right Behind: Right behind this first storm will be a stronger band of snow. This storm will hit Sunday night and continue through Tuesday. Cities in the line of fire include Omaha, Kansas City, Des Moines, Chicago, and Detroit. The heaviest snowfall will accumulate up to 12 inches. In addition, some areas may see dangerous sleet and freezing rain. The exact track of the storm can still change, making it difficult to pinpoint where the heaviest snow will fall.

As this system brings wintry weather to northern parts of the country, it will be rain throughout the Southeast. It will be a wet start to the work week in cities such as Dallas, Memphis, Charlotte, Mobile, and Atlanta.

Two Rounds of Ice on Tap: Both of these storms also bring a high chance of ice. The first round of ice will hit Saturday night in an area stretching from north central Kansas into northern Missouri, through central Illinois, and into the Indianapolis area. Another round of ice will pummel the area beginning Sunday night. This storm will likely hit Kansas City before moving into the Upper Midwest and continuing into the Mid-Atlantic region.

Travel Difficulties Ahead: As both storms move through the affected areas, residents need to be ready for travel disruptions. The difficulties will begin along I-25 in the Colorado Rockies before affecting both I-70 and I-80 and finally hitting the I-95 corridor on the East Coast. Motorists need to be alert for icy and snow packed roads. Farther south of these major interstates, the precipitation will likely only fall as rain.

Out on the East Coast: New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia are all in the line of fire to see up to six inches of snow with the second storm. The precipitation will start in earnest on Monday night and continue on and off through Tuesday. All three of these cities have seen an average amount of snowfall so far this year.

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