Arctic Blast Fuels Major Ice and Snow Threat This Weekend (Full Transcript)
[00:00:00] Speaker 1: Winter's most extreme storm of the year, and possibly in many years, is coming this weekend. And to places you might not expect. Here's what you need to know. The coldest air of the season will sweep down from Arctic Canada on Friday and set the stage for a multi-day winter smorgasbord that will ultimately spread its impact to much of the eastern half of the U.S. By the end of the workweek, an intensifying storm system over the southern plains will pull moisture from the gulf and spread it over that bitter cold air. Snow and ice could extend for over 1,000 miles from Texas to the Carolinas over the weekend. Forecast models are painting a concerning picture of a major ice storm over the south that could knock out power to millions and make travel impossible. We could be looking at a worst-case scenario. Think of the devastating Texas deep freeze and winter storm from 2021, where days of freezing temperatures, coupled with days of freezing rain, made for long-lasting impacts. The northern end of this storm will see heavy and consistent snow, with totals that could top one foot from the Ohio Valley to the mid-Atlantic, which could topple some records. Bottom line, this storm is shaping up to be a doozy, with impacts that will last well into next week. So the time to prepare is now.
- The coldest air of the season will arrive from Arctic Canada on Friday, setting up dangerous conditions.
- A storm forming over the southern Plains will pull Gulf moisture into the cold air, creating widespread snow and ice.
- Ice could extend over a 1,000-mile corridor from Texas to the Carolinas, with a worst-case ice-storm scenario possible.
- Significant power outages and impossible travel are possible, especially across the South.
- Heavy snow of 12+ inches is possible from the Ohio Valley to the Mid-Atlantic, with potential records.
- Impacts may persist well into next week; prepare immediately.