East Coast bracing for heavy snow, freezing rain

A major winter storm is forecast to sweep through parts of the Mid-Atlantic states and the Northeast starting early today, sending heavy snow, freezing rain and strong winds surging through the region into Thursday.

The storm, a nor’easter, is expected to stretch from North Carolina up through Virginia before advancing north, blanketing some areas with up to 2 feet of snow, the National Weather Service said. The severe weather could also bring ice accumulations, tree damage, power outages, closures of schools and businesses, and dangerous travel conditions, the service said.

The storm will unleash a hazardous mix of rain and then heavy snow starting today, kicking off in western North Carolina and southwest Virginia, where it will let loose sheets of freezing rain, the weather service predicted.

From there, the system is expected to migrate and spread, stretching as far north as Boston, southern New Hampshire and Albany, New York. It could affect areas as far west as Pittsburgh and as far south as Washington and northern Virginia.

Late this morning, heavy snow is forecast to overtake areas near and northwest of Interstate 95 in the Mid-Atlantic region. Washington, Philadelphia and other major cities can expect to be blasted with a wintry mix of rain and snow.

By this evening, the system will churn farther northeast, dropping heavy snow on northern New Jersey and southern New York state, including New York City, the weather service said. By tonight, the effect of the winter storm will be felt in southern New England, the service predicted.

Western Maryland and southern central Pennsylvania are forecast to bear the brunt of snow accumulations, with as much as 2 feet of snow falling, possibly leading to dangerous travel conditions and isolated power outages, the weather service said. Up to 2 feet of snow could blanket eastern Pennsylvania to northwest New Jersey.

More than 6 inches of snow is forecast from eastern West Virginia to southeast Massachusetts, but in areas along Interstate 95, including from central Maryland to Long Island, New York, the outcome is uncertain, depending on whether there is a mix of rain or snow.