A 'February frenzy': Much of winter-weary US braces for 2 big storms this week
ARLINGTON, Va. − Two storms forecast to develop this week could slam the Midwest and East with paralyzing snow and ice and including a big blast to the nation's capital.
The first storm, actually the latest in a series over the last few weeks, will roll through the Midwest on Monday before fueling a blast of snow and ice across the Ohio Valley and the East from Virginia to New England through Tuesday. Cincinnati; Washington, D.C.; Baltimore; Philadelphia; and New York City are among cities likely to feel the impact, according to weather.com, which forecast 4-8 inches for this Washington suburb.
"It’s been a disruptive start to February, and this onslaught of winter storms is expected to stick around for most of the month," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said. He warned of a "February frenzy of storms every few days in many places."
AccuWeather said a band of steady rainfall was likely across the Mississippi Valley and Gulf Coast states that could drench some areas with 1-3 inches. The highest amounts are likely to occur from far eastern Texas through northern Louisiana, central Mississippi and Alabama. Cities such as Dallas, Little Rock and Nashville will also remain warm enough to face rain and possibly thunderstorms.
But areas farther north could get hit with a lot of snow and ice, AccuWeather predicted.
"This can lead to accumulating snow that may impact millions from the Plains to the Mid-Atlantic states and southern New England," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex Duffus, who warned of "significant travel" across major cities in the region Tuesday.
2 storms will almost merge
Forecasters said it remained unclear how much snow will fall. Some areas in the lower Midwest could see only rain or nothing at all. Areas from Kansas City, Missouri, to Louisville, Kentucky, may get 1 -3 inches of snow, AccuWeather said. Farther east, West Virginia and northern Virginia to the Atlantic Coast could get 6 inches and some areas as much as 14 inches.
As the storm drifts out to see Wednesday, forecasters say there is a chance some locations may not even notice an appreciable break in the rain or wintry precipitation. Kansas City is forecast to get less than 2 inches of snow from the first storm − hours before the second storm could roll in and drop more than 4 inches.
"Heavier snow is more likely from the Ohio Valley to the Mid-Atlantic," wrote weather.com's Jonathan Erdman. He added that some ice accumulation is possible from in Kentucky, southern Virginia and North Carolina.
Southern California bracing for major rains
The West also has weather concerns, and Los Angeles could possibly face three days of heavy rains starting late Wednesday. Snow in the Sierra will likely be measured in feet. The National Weather Service office in Los Angeles said "much uncertainty" remains with the timing and amounts.
"Major atmospheric river event for California coming this Thursday," warns Weather Trader meteorologist Ryan Maue on X. "Widespread 2-4" of rainfall even in SoCal. A bit colder system so mountain snows (Sierra) should be exceptional − maybe 4-6 feet.
Second storm in Midwest, East could be worse
In the Midwest and East, the second storm expected to develop Tuesday night will roll out of the Front Range of the Rockies and spread to the central Plains on Wednesday before stretching to Mid-Atlantic states, AccuWeather says.
That storm "expected to closely follow on the heels of the early week storm, impacting many of the same areas beginning on Wednesday," Duffus said.
AccuWeather warned that snow and even a period of ice could hit Chicago, Detroit and Buffalo. And there is a chance that the corridor of sleet and freezing rain is more expansive with the second storm, especially across the Mid-Atlantic region and New England.
In the East, the second wave could be just rain or a wintry mix for Arlington and Washington Wednesday night. Farther north, New York and Boston will see snow and wintry mix. And another round of rain and wintry mix could roll through the region over the weekend.