Fast-moving winter storm is bringing snow, sleet and ice to Midwest and Northeast

CNN

By Artemis Moshtaghian and Gene Norman, CNN

(CNN) — A fast-moving winter storm packing a dangerous combination of snow, sleet and ice is moving through the Midwest overnight Saturday into Sunday, with up to a foot of snow predicted in parts of the Northeast by morning.

More than 15 million people from the Midwest to the Northeast are under extensive winter alerts as of early Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. The storm is already causing flight delays and it may bring snow-covered, slippery roads.

At least 300 flights within, into or out of the US Sunday have been delayed, according to flight tracking website Flight Aware – more than 3,400 such flights were delayed Saturday. And more than 400 flights for Sunday have been canceled.

“Due to a winter storm across the northeast, Boston Logan expects delays and cancellations,” the airport said Saturday afternoon. Philadelphia International Airport also said weather conditions may affect its flights.

On the ground, the storm will produce “hazardous travel due to low visibility, snow-covered and slippery roads. Power outages and minor tree damage are possible where ice is the heaviest,” the weather service warns.

“This storm could create dangerous travel conditions with near-zero visibility at times,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul warned Friday as she declared a state of emergency. The governor activated emergency protocols, including accelerated salt deliveries, and waived trucker hour limits to expedite road treatment.

By Saturday night, up to 8 inches of snow was recorded in parts of the Upper Great Lakes. As the storm pushes eastward through Sunday morning, upstate New York and southern New England could see up to a foot of snow. Meanwhile, a wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain is forecast from the Ohio Valley into the northern Mid-Atlantic, with light ice accumulations expected.

In Boston, 41,000 tons of salt are on hand to treat streets blanketed by heavy snow, the city announced. “I encourage residents to stay alert, stay warm, look after your neighbors, and utilize City services,” Mayor Michelle Wu said.

The storm system is moving in two rounds: The first is bringing heavy snow to the Midwest on Saturday afternoon, followed by significant snowfall in parts of the Northeast, coupled with icy conditions in the Appalachians.

“One good thing with this storm, it is moving pretty quickly, so it’s not gonna be a prolonged winter weather event,” said Bob Oravec, lead forecaster with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland, according to the Associated Press.

Where to expect snow and ice

Multiple weather systems will be affecting the Northeast over the weekend, the NWS Northeast River Forecast Center said on X Thursday. Below-normal temperatures are likely to be recorded across much of the continental US over the next few weeks, the agency said. This combination of active weather and prolonged cold may cause a continued stretch of winter disruption for many Americans.

Here are the major city impacts, as of Saturday evening:

• Green Bay, Wisconsin: Snow totals up to 7.5 inches have been reported in the area, the National Weather Service in Green Bay said.
• Chicago: The National Weather Service in Chicago warned of slippery conditions on roads due to freezing drizzle. “We’re dealing with some more slick conditions tonight! Take it easy on the roads and sidewalks,” Chicago’s emergency management agency said Saturday evening. Snow showers and flurries will linger through the evening, but little to no accumulations are expected, the weather service said.
• Cleveland: Mixed precipitation is expected, with up to 1 inch of snow and sleet and up to 0.2 inches of ice accumulation through 1 a.m. Sunday.
• Washington, DC: A hypothermia alert was issued Saturday, with the weather service reporting temperatures will be 33 degrees but feel like 27 degrees due to wind chill. Weather conditions will remain cold overnight, the DC Department of Human Services said. “It’s important that people experiencing homelessness come inside,” the department said.
• Philadelphia: A winter weather advisory is in effect through 6 a.m. Sunday, with a chance of snow turning into a rain and sleet mix after midnight. The Philadelphia Department of Streets warned residents to “avoid unnecessary travel and exercise caution when driving.”
• New York City: Heavy snow is rapidly spreading through late Saturday night, before changing to a wintry mix of sleet, snow and freezing rain. A total of 3-5 inches of snow and sleet are expected. With snow reducing visibilities and covering roadways, New York City Emergency Management is warning residents to avoid driving if possible and use caution while traveling.
• Boston: A winter storm warning will be in effect through Sunday afternoon, with 5-9 inches of snow expected. Services like the MBTA Commuter Rail have warned they will be affected by the weather.

Super Bowl travel concerns

The storm’s timing coincides with Super Bowl weekend, potentially complicating travel plans for fans heading to New Orleans. Airports in major hubs like Chicago, Detroit and Boston are preparing for delays and cancellations due to snow and ice over the weekend.

Nearly 800 flights within, into or out of the US were canceled on Saturday, according to Flight Aware.

The weather service warned Saturday that dense fog near airports in Louisiana may complicate arrivals for thousands of fans traveling to New Orleans for Sunday’s game. But those in The Big Easy celebrating football festivities will enjoy mild weather with highs in the low 80s.

Colder temperatures are coming

Two more systems are on the horizon for next week, with another Arctic blast expected to push temperatures 10 to 20 degrees below seasonal norms across the Northeast. Meteorologists attribute this active pattern to the positioning of the jet stream, which is funneling storms across the northern US.

The jet stream, essentially a river of air in the atmosphere that storms flow through, is locked in an almost perfect line from west to east, and will continue to funnel fast-moving storms across the northern tier of the Lower 48.

This pattern has been responsible for maintaining lower-than-average temperatures across much of the country this winter. New storms are expected to arrive every few days until the jet stream shifts — something that might not happen until the second half of February.

This weekend’s storms are just part of what forecasters expect will be an active February for winter weather.

CNN Meteorologist Mary Gilbert, Dalia Faheid and Karina Tsui contributed to this report.

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