The next winter storm is approaching and tonight we begin to feel the impacts. Most of Sunday will be how it starts … cloudy and cold. Temperatures are around 5 to 10 degrees below zero and a light wind is making it appear to be between the first few degrees.
The show starts tonight. An initial wave of snow and freezing rain arrives from the west. Precipitation rates will increase as we move into Monday morning, where roads will begin to see impacts. Because the ice is still on the surfaces and the temperatures remain below freezing, it won’t be long before the snow starts to accumulate. Rapid build-up will occur even on roads, as surface temperatures remain low and below freezing. Bridges, overpasses, conversion lanes and shoulders will collect snow more quickly. Travel will be affected on Monday morning and will continue throughout the day. Ice will also have a chance to accumulate in southeastern counties, where temperatures will be above zero above the surface. The initial wave will bring 1 “to 3” of snow and about 0.10 “of ice accumulation. The impacts will be felt with wave one, but larger impacts will come in the second wave.
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A brief pause in the action will take place late Monday morning and early afternoon. This calm will separate the initial batch from the second wave. Wave two will start mid-afternoon on Monday bringing fresh snow, sleet and freezing rain. Heavy rains with high precipitation rates will continue overnight until Tuesday morning. This second batch will bring an additional 4 “to 6” of snow for most locations and 0.25 “- 0.35” inches of ice for southeastern counties.
Traveling will become almost impossible for most areas starting on Monday night and lasting until Tuesday morning, at least. Power outages are also possible. This is a system where you need to stay off the road at all costs. It is likely that wherever you are on Monday morning it is where you will be staying at least Tuesday morning. The treated roads will improve during Tuesday. It will take several days for untreated roads to recover.
When all is said and done, we are looking at 6 “to 8” of snow with locally highest amounts possible. An inch of hail in areas between snow and freezing rain. Ice accumulations between 0.10 ”and 0.50” are possible for eastern and southeastern counties.
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