Significant snowfall is expected northeast of busy Interstate 95 as the winter storm strengthens along the coastline.
The FOX Prediction Center is monitoring the possibility of 1 to 3 inches of snow starting Sunday evening across a wide area from Washington, D.C. to Boston, with 5 to 8 inches expected north and west of Interstate 95. are.
With a combination of snow and dangerously cold air expected, New Jersey's governor has declared a state of emergency and urged residents to prepare for below-freezing temperatures.
“Following this weekend's snowfall, extreme cold is expected with windchills below -10 degrees. Dangerous cold is expected to continue through much of next week. Limit your time outdoors and keep your pets away. Please stay indoors as much as possible,” Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement Saturday.
Schools, banks and other services that would normally be open will be closed Monday in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, allowing roads to be cleared for snow removal crews.
More than 30 million people from the Appalachians to the Northeast, including Boston, New York and Philadelphia, are under some type of winter weather warning.
Depending on the amount of snowfall, this system could produce the season's heaviest snowfall in areas that have previously seen significant snowfall deficits.
Philadelphia's snowfall is about 5 inches below normal, and New York City is nearly half a foot behind what it typically gets during the first half of winter.
The sleet and snow zone includes the nation's capital, where accumulation could reach 1 to 3 inches before the 60th presidential inauguration begins on Monday.
The president-elect's team has announced that most major inaugural events will be held indoors, a break from long-standing tradition, due to concerns about the bitter cold that will follow the rain.
Government agencies around Washington, D.C., have been preparing for months for outdoor events such as parades and swearing-in ceremonies.
High temperatures on Monday are expected to reach the mid-20s, but temperatures will plummet to near zero by Wednesday evening as the full extent of the arctic air mass settles over the eastern two-thirds of the country. .
In total, more than 300 million people are expected to experience below-average temperatures as the coldest air of the season enters the country.
Because of the threat of hypothermia, many communities from the U.S.-Canada border to Florida are planning to open warming centers to provide temporary housing options for the unsheltered.
