The wintry weather has exited the southern Plains this morning, dumping more than a foot of snow in parts of Texas — but this event is only beginning in the eastern US.
Snow will continue to fall across the mid-Mississippi River Valley during the middle of today, impacting cities like Little Rock, Memphis, St. Louis and Louisville. Thundersnow may even be possible.
Meanwhile south and east of there, there's a concern for ice. Freezing rain or a wintry mix is expected across much of Mississippi, northwestern Alabama, central Tennessee, and eastern Kentucky through the end of today. This includes Jackson and Nashville.
Here's what we expect next:
- Into this evening, a shield of light to moderate snow will expand toward the Great Lakes, with snow forecast as far north as Chicago, Detroit and the Canadian border in the Northeast. Icing will also persist as the storm tracks north and east, impacting the Ohio River Valley and parts of the mid-Atlantic, including Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey, and southern New York. For the first time in 11 years, an Ice Storm Warning has been issued for areas northwest of New York City, meaning that impactful icing is likely.
- By Tuesday morning, a period of freezing rain will impact southern New England while a more prolonged time of icing will affect portions of central New York and New England. Moderate to heavy snow will be found to the north of there, spanning from upstate New York through central and northern Maine. The good news is warmer air will intrude from the south, helping to melt any of the icing across the Mid-Atlantic through southern New England.
- By the end of the day Tuesday, the storm will depart New England, leaving behind cold air and some lingering snow showers across the interior Northeast.
Between now and Tuesday night, a widespread 8 to 12 inches of snowfall can be expected from central Arkansas through northern Maine.
