Winter Storm Targets Southern U.S. by End of the Week

While it was the central Plains that saw the bulk of the winter weather this past weekend, the southern U.S. will be under the gun next. Here is a first look at a developing storm that could take aim at the southern Plains before moving into the Tennessee Valley, the Southeast, and eventually to the East Coast.

New Winter Weather Maker Taking Aim at the South

A wide swath of the southern U.S. will be in the line of fire for a major winter storm set to roar across the region late this week and into the weekend. Major metropolitan areas such as Dallas, Nashville, and Atlanta are likely to see the impacts of this weather maker.

Unlike last weekend's storm, the latest system will likely bring snow and ice to communities located much farther south. The latest forecast models indicate that the storm will then turn to the northeast.

You can expect the storm to start to come together late Tuesday into Wednesday over Texas. It will take some time for the wintry precipitation to begin to fly as it will have to gather moisture first. The speed of the formation of the storm and its exact track will determine who dodges the snow and ice and who picks up accumulation. At this point, it looks as if the wintry impacts will stretch between the Interstate 20 and Interstate 40 corridors across Texas and Oklahoma before moving into Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, and up into Virginia by the end of the work week and heading into the weekend.

The snow line is predicted to creep farther to the north, reaching areas west of the Appalachians and over to the Interstate 70 corridor running through the Ohio Valley and the mid-Mississippi Valley. This is the same part of the country that was hammered by heavy snow and ice over the past weekend.

Dallas Prepares for Major Winter Weather Event

Forecasters are warning that Dallas should prepare for a major winter weather event in the days ahead. The metroplex is expected to see up to 6 inches of snow out of this system. This would be well over the annual average snowfall of 1.6 inches. Should the forecast predictions of 6 inches come to fruition, it would end up being in the top-five snowfall events on record in Dallas.

There is also a good chance that this upcoming storm could be the most significant snowstorm since February of 2010 when 12.5 inches blanketed the Dallas metro area. Although this system will likely fall well short of that mark, it could still be enough to cause mass disruptions for a part of the southern Plains not used to this magnitude of wintry precipitation.

Dallas is also going to be dealing with unseasonably cold temperatures thanks to the regular streams of Arctic air. This means that just a small bit of precipitation will freeze up, creating hazardous conditions on the roads.

Moving to the east, snow is in the forecast along the Interstate 40 corridor while ice will be the most likely form of precipitation to impact the Interstate 20 corridor. The timing of the system means that Nashville is likely to see the flakes begin to fly on Friday.

Heading to the south and the east, Atlanta will also be in the crosshairs of this system. The bulk of the snow is predicted to fall to the north of the Peach City with the southern Appalachians picking up plowable snow. Meanwhile, downtown Atlanta is forecast to see a mix of ice and rain at this time. The trajectory of this storm can change between now and then, making it important to stay on top of the developing forecast.

The areas most likely to see a disruptive ice storm include the zone from northeastern Texas and over northern Louisiana and the southern portions of Arkansas. Motorists will want to check road conditions before heading out on portions of Interstate 20 from Dallas to Atlanta and Interstate 85 from Atlanta and up into Richmond, Virginia. The conditions are expected to be the worst beginning Friday and lasting until Sunday. Widespread road closures are a good possibility in this corner of the country.

Where Will the Winter Storm Head Next?

Forecasters are still bringing together the latest data to determine where the storm will turn after impacting the southern U.S. There are a number of potential scenarios in play as the system moves up through the Appalachians early in the weekend.

For instance, one model shows the system tracking in a straight line to the east, sparing the central Appalachians and the upper portions of the mid-Atlantic. However, another model shows the system picking up strength and making a direct turn to the north. This scenario would result in more snow and ice for the mid-Atlantic and up into southeastern New England by late Saturday or early Sunday.

The possible track to the east would translate to the chance of snow and ice for the Carolinas and southern Virginia. This could spell trouble for a region that does not have sufficient snow removal equipment when compared to a track that takes the adverse conditions to the north.

An intensification of the storm as it approaches the Eastern Seaboard would send the impacts farther to the north. Washington, D.C. and Baltimore would be back under the gun for more heavy snow just days after the early week winter storm. A path in this direction would also mean measurable snow for Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston.

Lastly, the storm could split the difference and take a track and strengthening pattern that lands between these two models. This would mean snow for a large portion of the mid-Atlantic with slight accumulation for the southeastern corner of New England by the time the weekend comes to a close.

Regardless of the journey that the storm takes, somebody is going to be dealing with significant travel issues. Both motorists and air travelers should prepare for the possibility of widespread disruptions.

A cold rain is in the forecast for the area along the Interstate 10 corridor and to the south stretching from Houston and across the Gulf coast and into Jacksonville, Florida. A shift of the storm to the south would result in the threat of icy conditions for the metro areas as colder air comes in from behind.

A blast of Arctic air is expected to inch farther to the south after the storm passes. Freezing temperatures could present concerns for parts of South Texas, the central portion of the Gulf Coast, and into northern and central Florida.

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