Ice Storm Bearing Down on the Midwest and Northeast

Forecasters are becoming more certain that a major ice storm is going to develop across parts of the Midwest and the Northeast in the hours ahead. Here is a look at this multi-faceted storm that is set to churn from the Mississippi Valley and over to the East Coast.

Major Ice Storm Brewing for the Midwest and the Northeast

The most significant ice storm in years is predicted to create dangerous conditions across parts of the Plains and over to the Atlantic Sebarod beginning late Monday. The ice is part of a larger storm system that will also raise the threat of destructive thunderstorms in areas to the south.

This midweek system will kick off what is expected to be an unsettled weather pattern for much of the central and eastern U.S. for the first half of February. The stormy activity will come after what was a relatively tranquil end to the month of January.

Meteorologists detailed that this week's major weather event will come together as the result of the clash of record-challenging warmth across the nation's mid-section and colder temperatures to the north. The warm temperatures currently positioned over the southern Plains and the Gulf Coast will filter up into the Tennessee and Ohio valleys by Wednesday, fueling the development of widespread thunderstorms along the way.

Nashville will be one of the cities in the bullseye for potential thunderstorms. The Music City is anticipating the rain to begin to fall Wednesday afternoon. The threat of thunderstorms will linger into the overnight hours. Nashville is forecast to see little variation in the temperatures with the mercury holding steady in the low 60s throughout the day and night Wednesday.

The rain showers and risk of severe weather will persist on Thursday in Nashville with a forecast high in the upper 60s. Enjoy the warm weather will you can as colder air is in store for this region. Thursday's overnight lows will plummet into the low 40s with Friday's highs only expected to hover in the mid 50s.

The line of storms will push to the east throughout the evening and into the overnight hours. Likely impacts of this system include hail and winds that hit speeds of over 50 mph.

Wintry Precipitation for the Northern Edge of the Storm

The colder northern flank of the storm will see a mix of snow and ice develop thanks to the frigid temperatures in this part of the country. A number of major metro areas will be under the threat of these wintry impacts.

A wide line of snow is expected to fall in an area from Montana and into the Great Lakes. You can expect widespread snowfall accumulations of 1 to 3 inches in this impact zone. For example, Bismarck, North Dakota is expecting the snow to develop later in the day Wednesday with highs that struggle to break the 20-degree mark. Winds out of the east-southeast at 10 to 15 mph will add more chill to the air.

Ice will be the primary concern for communities just to the south of the snow line. This includes a good portion of the Midwest stretching into the Great Lakes. Forecasters are calling for ice build up of 0.25 of an inch or greater on Wednesday night along long stretches of interstates 70 and 80 through Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.

Ice Will Move to the Mid-Atlantic by Thursday

The ice event will not be over by Wednesday. The forecast models are indicating that the impacts from the ice will expand into the Appalalchians, the mid-Atlantic, and the Northeast as the week progresses. The ice will be thick enough to present concerns of tree damage and widespread power outages.

The most significant ice accumulation is likely in an area from the central Appalachians and to the north through Pennsylvania and southern New York. Up to a half of an inch of ice is a possibility in this zone. Williamsport, Pennsylvania could see a hazardous Thursday morning commute with both snow and freezing rain in the forecast.

It will be a messy Thursday for places such as Syracuse, New York. This metro area is forecast to see snow to start the day with rain, wet snow, and icy conditions later in the afternoon. The forecast is calling for snowfall accumulations of 1 to 3 inches, a high of about 40 degrees, and winds out of the south at 10 to 15 mph. The winds will pick up in intensity overnight, hitting speeds of 15 to 25 out of the west.

Lighter ice is a possibility for the major metro areas up and down the Interstate 95 corridor. New York City is expecting rain and sleet in the morning hours with a slight chance of icy conditions forming. The wintry will eventually switch to rain as the temperatures climb to about 40 degrees in the Big Apple.

However, colder temperatures to the north will force the precipitation over to snow instead. Snowfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are in the forecast for much of northern New England. Accumulations of up to 6 inches are likely in the higher elevations in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and the northern tier of New York state. Boston is forecast to see a snow and ice mix with about 1 to 3 inches of accumulation. Highs and lows will hold steady in the low to mid 30s throughout the day and night in Boston.

It does not take a large amount of ice to create havoc on the roads. Bridges and overpasses will be particularly susceptible to icy conditions.

Cold winds will come in on the backside of the storm on Thursday and Friday. The winds could be strong enough to bring down trees and power lines that have been compromised by the ice. Gusts that reach speeds of 40 to 50 mph are likely for the Great Lakes on Thursday. These high winds will reach the interior portions of the Northeast on Friday. Wind gusts that eclipse 30 mph are likely along Interstate 95 to bring the work week to a close.

After an unseasonably warm start to the week for the Midwest and the Northeast, the mercury will drop down to normal levels after the storm exits the region. For instance, temperatures will fall from highs in the mid 50s on Thursday in Cincinnati to readings that max out in the low 40s by Friday.

Active Start to February

This week's storm is the start of what is forecast to be an active weather pattern for the central and eastern U.S. It was just a few days ago that the famous groundhog known as Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. Phil appears to be right in the short term with more winter storms looming on the horizon.

The next system is predicted to push into the region beginning Friday, lasting through the weekend for the same part of the U.S. that experienced the wrath of the midweek storm. Like its predecessor, this storm will bring a mix of snow, ice, and thunderstorms depending on the temperatures at the time in any specific location.

Another storm is expected to follow by early next week. The early forecast suggests that this third weather maker will be able to pull up more moisture, translating to a larger impact zone for snow and ice. Stay tuned as more details come together about these next two systems.

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