A winter storm is forecast to spread ice and snow across portions of the central and eastern U.S. today, bringing widespread travel troubles and also the threat of power outages.
Although snow is expected in some spots, most of the precipitation is expected to fall as a mix of freezing rain and sleet starting later today and lingering through Thursday, the National Weather Service said.
This will lead to an ice storm from the Midwest into parts of the Appalachians, mid-Atlantic and Northeast, forecasters said. “The potential exists for dangerous amounts of ice accretion (build up) into Thursday,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham. “This poses a risk for tree damage and power outages as the storm moves through.”
Where is the ice storm expected?
The storm will start in the Midwest. “Freezing rain and sleet will develop in northern Missouri and Iowa before spreading across the southern Great Lakes later Wednesday and overnight, including Chicago, Cleveland and Detroit,” said Weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce in an online forecast.
“Portions of the mid-Atlantic, including Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., might seeing hazardous travel conditions from freezing rain and sleet Wednesday night into early Thursday morning before transitioning to rain by later Thursday morning,” he added.
Areas including Harrisburg, Scranton, State College and Williamsport in Pennsylvania, Binghamton in New York and Cumberland in Maryland face the greatest risk of dangerous ice accumulation, AccuWeather said.
The highest ice storm potential (with 1/4 inch or more of ice buildup) “is expected from western Maryland northward into the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, where scattered power outages and tree damage is most likely,” the weather service said.
Why is an ice storm dangerous?
Heavy accumulations of ice can bring down trees and topple utility poles and communication towers, the weather service said. Ice can disrupt communications and power for days while utility companies repair extensive damage.
“Even small accumulations of ice can be extremely dangerous to motorists and pedestrians,” the weather service said. “Bridges and overpasses are particularly dangerous because they freeze before other surfaces.”
Severe thunderstorms also possible
“Record-challenging warmth funneling northward into the Tennessee and Ohio River Valleys will help provide the ingredients necessary for widespread thunderstorm activity beginning Wednesday,” said Buckingham. “Some of the storms are even expected to turn severe.”
States with the greatest likelihood of severe storms on Wednesday include Tennessee and Kentucky, the Storm Prediction Center said.