Snowstorm to Snarl Travel From Detroit to Boston Into Groundhog Day

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist

February 1,2015; 10:43PM,EST

 

 

A snowstorm will sweep from the Midwest to the Northeast heading into early this week, causing major travel delays and disruptions to daily activities.
Close to 100 million people live within the swath forecast to be hit with accumulating snow or enough wintry mix to make for slippery roads from Saturday evening into Monday.
For live updates on the storm, be sure to follow our Live Blog.
The strengthening storm will carry moisture in from the Pacific Ocean and grab more moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean along the way. The result will be a swath of heavy snow from the northern part of the Ohio Valley states, across the upper mid-Atlantic and southern New England.
Accumulations along the lines of 6 to 12 inches are expected from Detroit to Boston with some areas picking up over a foot.
Motorists from the Midwest to the Northeast should expect slippery and dangerous conditions, while there is a possibility of a large number of flight delays and cancellations. Some of the crews and aircraft displaced during the storm may have a ripple effect across the country by early next week.

Storm to Hit Midwest Throughout the day on Sunday
Enough snow to shovel and plow will fall in a zone of Central states' cities from Des Moines, Iowa, to Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and Fort Wayne, Indiana. In this area from near the Mississippi River to the western slopes of the central Appalachians, a swath of 6 to 12 inches of snow is forecast with locally higher amounts.
In the Midwest, roads along the Interstate-80/90 corridor will become snow-covered as the storm moves eastward on Sunday.

During the latter part of the storm, there will be enough wind to cause some blowing and drifting of the snow that is on the ground.
Blizzard conditions may even be possible for a time through Sunday night.
Farther south along much of the I-70 corridor, a wintry mix is in store. Areas from Indianapolis to Pittsburgh, Columbus, Ohio, and Morgantown, West Virginia, will receive more than enough wintry mix to make for slippery roads.
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A change to snow at the end of the storm is what will make for the worst wintry travel around Kansas City, Missouri, and St. Louis and Cincinnati.
Storm to Reach Northeast Late Sunday into Monday
Farther east, cities from Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Binghamton, New York, to Hartford, Connecticut; Providence, Rhode Island, and Boston will receive significant snow Sunday night into Monday. Similar to areas farther west in the Midwest, enough snow to shovel and plow are forecast.
Some sleet and rain will mix in at coastal areas at the height of the storm and are likely to prevent an unmanageable snowfall in New York City. However, plunging temperatures in the wake of the storm will cause a freeze-up of slush and standing water.
Travel throughout the I-80 corridor in Pennsylvania and New Jersey will become difficult, due to heavy snow and areas of sleet. Motorists should expect slippery and dangerous travel to develop along part of I-81, the Pennsylvania and Massachusetts turnpikes, New York's Southern Tier Expressway and Thruway, as well as I-84 in the Northeast.

"The heaviest snowfall in the Northeast will extend from western New York across central New England," said AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Steve Wistar.
From near New York City to southern New England, there are still huge piles of snow left, in the wake of the snowfall from Monday's storm. Crews may want to make room for the new snowfall coming. Surging temperatures in New York City and in Long Island could cause urban flooding where storm drains are blocked with piles of snow.
Enough wind can occur on Monday to cause some blowing and drifting of the snow on the ground from parts of the central Appalachians to New England. Winds may get strong enough to cause rough seas and above-normal tides that can lead to coastal flooding in New England.
In parts of Long Island and southern New England, snow load on roofs may become an issue. This is mainly a concern where snow drifted on flat roofs during the Blizzard of 2015, creating an uneven depth and weight.
From northern upstate New York state to northern New England, it will be plenty cold for snow, but the moisture will probably be lacking for a really big snowstorm.
If the storm was to turn more to the northeast soon after reaching the Atlantic Ocean, heavy snow could spread farther north in upstate New York and northern New England on Monday.

"Near and south of Mason-Dixon Line, some other form of precipitation [sleet and/or rain] is likely to greatly hold down snow accumulations," Dombek said.
Areas from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore to Philadelphia, Dover, Delaware, and Atlantic City, New Jersey, will receive enough warm air to bring a change to rain. However, enough snow or wintry mix will fall in these areas, before rain takes over to create slippery roads and bring flight delays.