A dangerous mix: Snow and ice coating the Northeast, first in parade of storms
ARLINGTON, Va. − A wall of snow, ice and rain was sweeping across the Northeast on Thursday, the first in a series of storms forecast to wallop much of the nation's northern tier over the next several days.
The wintry mix that turned to rain early Thursday in this suburb of Washington, D.C., was still serving ice, snow and sleet in cities and towns from Akron, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Buffalo, New York; to Philadelphia and New York City.
Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island faced a winter weather advisory all day Thursday, and total snow and sleet accumulations of up to 4 inches were expected, the National Weather Service said. AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines told Paste BN that 3-6 inches was likely north of Boston in places such as Concord, New Hampshire, and Bangor, Maine.
After the storm comes a brief respite. "For most folks, Friday is a great day and the sun is out," Kines said. But then another storm comes rolling east from the Dakotas all the way to New England, he said.
Snow will start in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan on Friday night, and many areas will see up to a foot of snow by Saturday night, Kines said. South of that snow, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio could experience icing, he said.
By Saturday evening Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia will be hit with rain or snow. As the storm heads east, "a good chunk" of New York and New England will get at least 6 inches of snow, he said.
Developments:
∎ Almost 50,000 homes and business in Virginia were without power Thursday afternoon in rural counties not far from the West Virginia border following the icy storm.
∎ Tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings and watches popped up Thursday morning across parts of Kentucky.
∎ In Tennessee, a severe storm threat was in place near Nashville. "The primary concern is strong wind gusts to 50 mph and small hail," the weather service said.
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Boston could 'hit the jackpot' with snow
February is typically the snowiest month in the northeastern U.S., and this month appears to be no exception as a bounty of snow appears likely for much of the region.
"Boston might hit the jackpot over the next 2 weeks with multiple snowfall events that could easily add up to 2-feet or more," warned meteorologist Ryan Maue on X.
A "parade" of winter systems is forecast to slam parts of the Midwest, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic with dangerous travel conditions through the middle of next week, AccuWeather forecasters said. Kines said the snow line will likely fall on Pennsylvania's southern border.
"But a lot of things can happen between now and then," he said. "That system is still out in the Pacific."
US shivered, but globally January was warmest ever
Last month was the Earth's warmest January on record, despite the frigid cold waves that swept across the U.S., European scientists announced Thursday. January continued a run of extraordinary heat in which 18 of the last 19 months saw an average global temperature of more than 2.7 degrees above pre-industrial times, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service said in a monthly bulletin.
Worldwide, January 2025 was 3.15 degrees warmer than it was before industrial times, Copernicus said.
"January 2025 is another surprising month, continuing the record temperatures observed throughout the last two years, despite the development of La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific and their temporary cooling effect on global temperatures," said Samantha Burgess of the Copernicus Climate Change Service. Read more here.
− Doyle Rice
Ice storm warning in effect Thursday
Some of the worst weather Thursday was rolling through the Appalachians of Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia, where an ice storm warning remained in effect until noon.
"Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the ice," the National Weather Service said. "Travel could be nearly impossible."
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Marshall Moss warned drivers that “freezing rain is the most dangerous precipitation for travel, there is no traction at all on it.” He added that “ice patches are clear, making it tough for drivers to tell if roads are icy or just wet."
Storm drives school closings, delays
School in Arlington and several other districts around the nation's capital and Baltimore delayed opening for two hours Thursday to allow the icy precipitation to turn to rain. Scores of districts across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut also delayed classes, and some canceled school for the day. Some city and municipal offices also delayed openings.
More than 100 flights in and out of Philadelphia International Airport were already canceled early Thursday, and dozens more were delayed. LaGuardia Airport in New York and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport also reported dozens of delays and cancellations.
A breather Friday, then a weekend storm
After a break Friday, another storm is forecast for the weekend. According to Weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce, "snow and a stripe of ice seem likely to develop by Saturday from the northern Plains and Great Lakes to parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast."
The weather service said sleet and freezing rain are likely across portions of the Mid-Atlantic, New York and southern New England, which could be hazardous.
The most significant risk of icing on Saturday is in northern Ohio and across parts of southwestern, central and northern Pennsylvania, according to AccuWeather.
Dolce said the Interstate 95 corridor could at least start with a burst of snow, including around New York City and Philadelphia, before changing to a wintry mix and/or rain. "Boston might remain snow for a longer period of time and pile up several inches."