By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist
March 1,2014; 6:25PM,EST
A storm crossing the country will create travel nightmares for millions from the Plains to the mid-Atlantic through Monday.
Snow will expand from the northern Rockies and central Plains to portions of the Midwest this weekend, reaching the Northeast and mid-Atlantic on Sunday through Monday.
Snowfall from the cross-country storm will exceed 1,500 miles on its journey. Along that journey, more than 6 inches of snow will occur from Kansas City, Mo., to St. Louis to Indianapolis to Columbus, Ohio, to Clarksburg, W. Va., to Harrisonburg, Va., to Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia and Trenton, N.J.
Some locations along this swath could end up with a foot of snow or more.
People traveling by road or airways should expect major long-lasting delays as this area of snow expands to the south and east.
For a time, the snow or an icy mix will impact areas between the I-90 and I-40 corridors in the Plains and Midwest and the I-90 and I-85 corridors in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic.
Snowfall rates at the height of the storm may reach 2 inches per hour, causing the snow to quickly clog major interstates.
Major airport hubs from Kansas City, Mo., Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City may all be directly affected by the storm with the potential for thousands of delays and/or cancellations. Ripple-effect flight delays and cancellations are likely to reach nationwide.
One batch of snow will push slowly eastward through Sunday from the Great Lakes to part of the central Appalachians. It is during this first batch where Chicago, Detroit and Buffalo, N.Y., are likely to get most of the snow from the event.
However, it is during the last part of the storm, when the heaviest and longest-lasting snow is likely to occur farther south in the Ohio Valley, Northeast and mid-Atlantic.
The heaviest snow is projected to be along the I-70 corridor from eastern Kansas to Pennsylvania on Sunday. Accumulating snow will also drop southward to the Texas Panhandle and northern Oklahoma.
Sunday night, the heaviest snow zone will stretch from the Ohio Valley to around the Mason-Dixon Line and the central coast of New Jersey Sunday night. On Monday, substantial snow and ice will center on the mid-Atlantic.
The storm is likely to impact not only travel, but also school and business activities. The storm may completely tap remaining ice-melting supplies in some communities.
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AccuWeather Winter Weather Center
According to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams, "The challenge with this storm is figuring out where the north-south boundary between rain and snow will set up and migrate to as the storm progresses slowly eastward."
A tremendous temperature contrast will set up from north to south with the storm. A distance of 100 miles could bring temperatures ranging from the 60s and 70s to the 20s and 30s and the difference between rain, ice and snow.
"In a narrow swath, all or part of the storm will deliver snow that may be difficult to shovel and plow, due to its accumulation and weight," Abrams said.
South of I-70, travel hazards will start even before the first flake of snow falls due to sleet and/or freezing rain preceding the snow. In some cases, this icy mix will come after a period of rain.
On Monday, that icy mix will occur as far south as Raleigh and Greensboro, N.C.
Soaking rain would wash away any lingering salt or would prevent crews from treating roads prior to the ice or snow begins.
"Because of the great amount of moisture available to this storm, a narrow zone of heavy ice can occur with downed trees and power outages," Abrams said.
The area at greatest risk for the heavy ice and power outages lies from central Arkansas to southern West Virginia. This includes Little Rock, Ark., and Lexington, Ky.
A shift in storm track by as little as a few dozen miles and more of a press of cold air could make the difference between heavy snow, light snow, ice and rain.
In the warm air on the southern flank of the storm, drenching rain and thunderstorms will occur. Long-duration rainfall will occur near the rain/snow line, while the potential for strong to locally severe thunderstorms sweeping through is greatest over the Arklatex.
AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski contributed to the content of this story.
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Rudy Ryan
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St. Louis to DC, Philly: Major Travel Disrupting Snow Looms accuweather.com/en/weather-new… How much more global warming can we stand??
Vickie Barnachea
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St. Louis to DC, Philly: Major Travel Disrupting Snow Looms - SKYE on AOL weather.aol.com/2014/03/01/st-… Last ofDMohicans perhaps?Whew,long winter !
Bryan Fischer
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Catastrophic global warming alert: a foot of snow for 1300 miles. I arf you not. accuweather.com/en/weather-new…
10h- Jimmy Hendricks · Umbrella CorporationWell this comment section only showing 7 comments and I had a good discussion going. These model will show more and more moisture. They don't have a handle on this monster yet. It came on the coast a monster and will be taking a big drink from the Gulf. There is a much larger area for snow 8-12 inches. Then a decent area set up where the heavy banding is you need to be talking in FEET. or 12-24 inches. In the i95 corridor. North of DC, Balt, Philly will be all in on some big action. This is a Clash of the Titans in a Artic blast and a Monster storm with underestimated moisture. There will be volatile weather and Thunder snow with 3 inch per hour snow rates in the heavy banding. In a large storm it won't take long to get HUGE numbers.
Chris Sagliano · Top Commenter · SUNY RocklandOvernight we went from 6-12 to 3-6? Hope I'm still not dreaming!
Sean Matrai · Top Commenter · President at NCC Meteorology Club
Pat Clarke · Top Commenter · Big Creek, GeorgiaThey fixed Global Warming too quickly! Bring it back, I say!
Dylan W. Berry · Works at No job yet
Melvin SteinThese snowfall maps would be greatly aided by adding some major cities in each state to the graphics. Those of us in smaller communities would have a better idea what to expect by having those reference points. Thanks!
Scott Whitehill · Top Commenter
Jennifer Lynn Schillig · Top Commenter · Drexel UniversityWell, this pretty much covers the "lion" part...here's hoping that the end of March will be WAY more lamblike.
There's a point every winter where it stops being cozy and starts being dreary...I think the Philadelphia area has MORE than passed that point. Even my fireplace is starting to lose its appeal.
Dee Wagner · Works at Selinsgrove CenterThey ought to fire the guys that said 12 to 18" over the center of Pa I work for Penndot thinking I'm going to have to work.so I cancelled my plans for family to come and ice fish.
didn't want them driving back to Harrisburg on Sun. in a white out.Missed out on a great Sat. Henry is the worst of the bunch get rid of him. Next is that global warming nut. Andersnut.
Jesse DemarcoGreat forecast. All the 12z models show the heaviest band from York PA down to DC. Not sure why all the local stations in Harrisburg are insisting it is still a big snow event here. I just don't see it based on model guidance and the trend southward over the last three runs.
Bill Wolfe · Top Commenter · Middletown HighI see the 12-18 is gone. But were in the 6-12 now. It's moved South. Do these guys have any clue? Can't wait to see what they say tomorrow morn changed again I'm sure. maybe they can get it right by Monday.
Tony Marengo · Top CommenterWhere I live on southwest Long Island (just east of NYC), the storm impact seems to be trending downward. Hopefully this trend will continue.
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