Kansas City, Missouri – A powerful winter storm is expected to bring significant swaths of wintry weather across the central and eastern United States this weekend and early next week.
The National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center (WPC) said there is increased confidence in the storm, but there remains uncertainty about its timing and path as it moves east.
Impacts will begin Friday in the Northern Plains, followed by the Central Plains, Ohio and Tennessee valleys, and the Mid-Atlantic states, where heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain are expected.
A winter storm watch is in place for parts of south-central Kansas from Saturday afternoon through Sunday afternoon, with the potential for a mix of freezing drizzle, freezing rain, sleet and snow.
More than 4 inches of snow and sleet could accumulate, and icing of more than a tenth of an inch could occur, the NWS said. Winds can reach up to 35 miles per hour, causing blowing, blowing, and near-blizzard conditions.
The heaviest snow is likely to fall in the Central Plains and mid-Mississippi Valley, especially north of Interstate 70, WPC said. Snowfall could reach significant levels, disrupting travel and causing power outages.
Significant ice storms are also possible across the Mid-South, from southern Kansas and the eastern Ozarks to the Tennessee Valley. Sleet and freezing rain could build up on trees and power lines, leading to widespread power outages and hazardous travel conditions.
When is winter storm season?
The FOX Prediction Center said things will get very interesting starting Sunday as the storm moves into the Plains. Sunday will bring a mix of snow and ice to the Central Plains and lower Ohio Valley.
By Sunday night, the rest of the Ohio Valley, the south central region, the central Appalachians, and possibly the mid-Atlantic region will be affected.
The storm is expected to weaken after moving over the Appalachians on Monday, but wintry weather is likely to continue into the mid-Atlantic and possibly as far south as the Carolinas, according to the FOX Prediction Center.
