A powerful winter storm is forecasted to hit the East Coast this weekend, bringing with it the potential for significant snowfall, high winds, and coastal flooding. This storm comes on the heels of a previous system that blanketed huge swaths of the country in snow and ice, killing dozens and leaving many areas still reeling from the effects. The National Weather Service has warned that the prolonged period of cold temperatures, which could last for several weeks, may be the longest stretch of cold the Eastern and Southeastern U.S. have experienced in decades.
Storm Forecast and Potential Impacts
A low-pressure system is expected to form off the coast of the Carolinas on Friday, potentially laying the foundation for another winter storm this weekend. Meteorologists are tracking the storm’s development, with different forecast models plotting diverging paths for the storm after its expected turn northward. According to Allison Santorelli, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center, “There does remain some uncertainty as to where this storm will track,” but there is high confidence in a significant winter storm for the Southern Appalachians and southern Mid-Atlantic.
The storm’s potential track will dictate how its effects will be felt farther up the East Coast, with some models indicating that the system will veer slightly toward the east, while others suggest its track will tilt westward instead. In the first scenario, the storm — and the snowfall that could accompany it — would largely avoid land, while in the second, its westward lean could bring wintry weather, including more snow, to parts of the Northeast. Winter storm warnings and watches have been issued for parts of the Carolinas, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, with most set to remain in place until Sunday.
Arctic Blast and Record Lows
An upcoming surge of Arctic air will keep temperatures below freezing, likely creating a prime environment for snow to stick and potentially pile up on roads and other surfaces. Temperatures on Friday morning could drop to record lows in several eastern cities, including Baltimore, Buffalo, New York City, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. For example, at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, forecasts indicate the temperature could sink to 4 degrees Fahrenheit, tying a record set nearly 80 years ago — in 1948.
The addition of the developing storm off the Carolina coast will create severe wind chills well below zero degrees across the eastern U.S. and parts of the South, including areas experiencing ongoing power outages since last weekend. Meteorologists have warned that extreme cold in many areas will persist until early February, with the western half of the U.S. experiencing relative warmth while temperatures across eastern states remain well below average for this time of year.
Possible “Bomb Cyclone” and Storm Intensification
Despite variations in the storm forecasts, meteorologists have been discussing the possibility that a “bomb cyclone” could form if the storm escalates quickly. A “bomb cyclone” is a winter storm that undergoes rapid intensification, also known as “bombogenesis.” According to CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan, the conditions forecast for this weekend potentially lend themselves to this phenomenon, but its development is not guaranteed. Santorelli said a storm classified as a “bomb cyclone” while traveling up the coast was becoming increasingly plausible, based on the latest forecast models.
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