Monster storm set to freeze 1,500 miles of East Coast
A potent winter storm threatened to dump wind- driven snow and ice from Florida to Maine as a fierce cold wave’s grip on the nation showed no signs of easing, forecasters warned Tuesday.
Schools were shuttered and records shattered as relief for more than 200 million Americans remained several days away.
If thatweren’t enough, the National Weather Service issued winter storm watches and warnings all the way from northern Florida to northern Maine, a distance of about 1,500 miles.
A winter storm warning was in effect for portions of the Florida Panhandle, where a mix of snow and ice is in the forecast earlyWednesday.
This is the state’s first such warning in almost four years, the weather service said.
Snow, ice or a mix of both is forecast in portions of Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and New York.
As much as a quarter of an inch of ice and a couple of inches of snow — local amounts could be higher — are possible from portions of the Florida Panhandle to eastern North Carolina on Wednesday, the weather service said.
NewEngland will take a pounding, including Maine, which could see a foot of snow and hurricane- force winds, according to AccuWeather’s forecast.
Blizzard conditions are expected from portions of Long Island, N. Y., to northeastern Maine, New Brunswick and western Nova Scotia, AccuWeather said.
The storm was forecast to explode off the New England coast and could be the most powerful non- hurricane weather to hit the Northeast in the past 30 years, said Earth Networks meteorologist Anthony Sagliani.
“Our biggest concern is the potential for damaging wind gusts especially near the southeast New England coast,” the weather service in Boston said. “Power outage risk followed by arctic air Fri/ Sat a big concern!”
Tremendous blowing and drifting snowis likely, and some communities may be isolated for several days, AccuWeather said.
A freeze watch was in effect Tuesday night for Lake City, Fla., 60 miles west of Jacksonville. A wintry mix was forecast for Wednesday. The snow, wind and travel disruptions will roll north Wednesday night through Thursday night.
About 208 million Americans will wake up to freezing temperatures Wednesday morning, weather. us meteorologist Ryan Maue said. And the cold isn’t going away. “After a brief moderation from the cold at midweek, more bitter cold and downright harsh air will return,” AccuWeather meteorologist Kyle Elliott said.