A region spanning from Missouri to southern New England is set to receive a light, yet hazardous, coating of ice from Wednesday through Thursday. The highest likelihood for at least 0.10 inches of ice is anticipated from northern Indiana and Ohio to central Pennsylvania, as well as the hilly landscapes of Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. In select areas, more than 0.25 inches of ice may accumulate, particularly in central and southern Pennsylvania and western Maryland. This quantity of ice has the potential to weigh down trees and power lines, leading to power outages, and create perilous or nearly impassable travel conditions.
This upcoming storm is not expected to bring substantial snowfall, except for a few inches in the northern Great Lakes region and parts of Upstate New York and New England. Instead, many areas are forecasted to experience a messy mix of various forms of precipitation, including sleet, freezing rain, snow, and rain.
The onset of precipitation may begin as a combination of sleet and freezing rain in Chicago on Wednesday evening, transitioning mainly to freezing rain overnight. Some freezing rain or drizzle could persist overnight before tapering off by sunrise on Thursday. A weather model provides insight into where ice accumulation is likely to occur during the storm from Wednesday to Thursday.
In Cleveland, freezing rain is anticipated overnight on Wednesday, possibly accompanied by sleet at the onset. As temperatures rise above freezing, precipitation may switch to rain on Thursday morning. The icy mix is expected to reach parts of the Appalachians in the early hours of Thursday and then expand across much of the Northeast throughout the day.
Pennsylvania is poised to bear the brunt of the storm’s icy impact, with sleet and freezing rain probable over most of the state on Thursday morning. Central and southern regions are most likely to experience the heaviest freezing rain.
In portions of New Jersey, New York (including New York City), and New England, precipitation may initially start as snow early on Thursday before transitioning rapidly to sleet and freezing rain.
Following the storm, a surge of warmer air will aid in melting some of the wintry mix. However, cold conditions are expected to return swiftly, heralding the arrival of another storm that may feel eerily familiar.
The subsequent storm is predicted to emerge in the Plains on Friday and intensify by early Saturday. From Saturday to Sunday, it is set to swiftly disperse a mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain, and rain across an area similar to the first storm this week.
While the precise timing, type, and amount of precipitation from the upcoming storm remain uncertain, another round of disruptive icing could impact the Midwest and Northeast. Some regions may have less than 24 hours between the cessation of the first storm’s effects and the onset of challenges posed by the second storm.
The active weather pattern is expected to persist in the eastern half of the country, with the likelihood of additional storms next week. Forecast
