The combination of heavy rain and melting snow from last week’s storm could lead to flooding from the middle of the Atlantic to New England.
New York City, for example, will be under high wind and flood warning from Thursday night through Friday morning, with forecasted winds of 20-30 mph and gusts of up to 60 mph.
“Anyone who dreams of a white Christmas will have to settle for a windy, soggy holiday,” said Deanne Criswell, New York City’s emergency management commissioner. “However, the dangers are real and we want every New Yorker to be prepared for potentially damaging winds and heavy rains.”
As of Wednesday night, blizzard warnings were in effect across much of the Upper Midwest, with winds of over 65 mph in parts of the Dakotas, making travel impossible in some areas.
Winter storm warnings were also in effect for Minnesota’s twin cities, with 6 to 20 inches of expected snow and near-white conditions.
“Winds can blow as high as 60 mph, causing significantly reduced visibility in the blown snow,” according to the National Meteorological Service.
A spokesman for Northwestern, West Central and Central Minnesota State Patrol said in a tweet that soldiers responded to hundreds of accidents, vehicles spinning and stopped, as well as 11 overturned semitransporters, just between 4 pm and 9 pm on Wednesday.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has authorized the state National Guard to provide emergency relief services for drivers who were trapped in the winter storm, his office said.
Rain expected on the east coast
On Christmas Eve, the storm will head east and produce a variety of weather and bring decreasing temperatures to much of the midwest. Very strong winds will also accompany the storm, with warnings and wind alerts from the Gulf coast to the US-Canada border.
As the storm moves eastward, it will mainly be a rain generator. Christmas Eve will be rainy for millions, from Upstate New York to the Florida Panhandle. There may even be some severe storms.
“This storm configuration can easily allow dangerous winds and even some brief isolated tornadoes,” said CNN meteorologist Gene Norman. “Especially at risk on Christmas Eve are the eastern sections of North and South Carolina, southern Georgia and Alabama, and parts of the Florida Panhandle.”
From the Ohio Valley to the Tennessee Valley, the rain will change to snow on Thursday afternoon. Much of West Virginia and eastern Ohio could see 3-5 inches of snow, with higher altitudes seeing even more.
Heavy rain after snow can also cause rapid melting and flooding. The National Weather Service in Binghamton, New York, warned residents of the risk.
“Where recent heavy snow has fallen, it can add weight to the old snow accumulated on roofs / structures, resulting in collapsed structures,” said the agency.
The storm will pass in the morning, leaving a cold and windy Christmas in the south, but parts of the northeast will be quite hot.
CNN’s Taylor Ward, Rob Frehse, Raja Razek and Dave Hennen contributed to this report.