First Big Storm of 2019 Could Drop 40 Inches of Snow on Northeast, Inch of Ice in Mid-Atlantic

First Big Storm of 2019 Could Drop 40 Inches of Snow on Northeast, Inch of Ice in Mid-Atlantic

The first winter storm of 2019 is only in its early hours, but experts are already calling it a “nuisance.”

According to AccuWeather, the blizzard is expected to move quickly from the West — it triggered mudslides in California on Thursday — to the East Coast on Friday morning. It will drop dozens of inches of snow throughout Pennsylvania, upstate New York and New England. Initially, the snowfall is only expected to be a few inches in these areas, but it will heighten to potentially dangerous conditions on Saturday and Sunday.

On Friday, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa will experience the brunt of the snow, with anywhere from 3 to 24 inches, AccuWeather experts said.

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Expect flight cancellations and road closures throughout the midwest and along the East Coast, as plows will likely not be able to keep up with speed of the accumulation, AccuWeather reported. Snow could fall as fast as 2 to 3 inches per hour in some areas, according to USA Today.

Snow blankets the White House after Jan. 13 storm
Snow blankets the White House after Jan. 13 storm

Over Saturday and Sunday, up to 40 inches may cover parts of northern New England, and 30 inches is likely in central and northern New York, and northern Pennsylvania. That said, most areas in the storm’s path will get between 12 and 24 inches.

A boulder blocks the road after a heavy rainstorm on Thursday in Calabasas, California
A boulder blocks the road after a heavy rainstorm on Thursday in Calabasas, California

The heaviest snowfall will occur north of most major metropolitan areas on the East Coast, including New York City and Boston, AccuWeather said, but the conditions will be cold and icy enough to potentially cause major travel disruptions.

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Further south, parts of Virginia can expect accumulation of ice of up to 1 inch, which may lead to major power outages. Areas along the coast can expect a mix of icy weather, including rain and harsh winds between 35 and 50 mph.

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Some 200 million Americans will have to deal with temperatures in the single digits on Sunday night, USA Today reported.

According to USA Today, forecasters expect the low temperatures to stay through February.