Winter storm warning as 20 inches of snow to strike
Winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories have been issued to multiple states across the U.S., as the National Weather Service (NWS) warns that some areas can expect up to 20 inches of snow and up to 60 mph winds through Wednesday and into Friday, in some cases.
States Affected by Winter Storm Warnings and Advisories
According to the NWS, Tennessee, Alaska, Indiana, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, New York, Ohio, and Kentucky are all expected to get wintry conditions from Wednesday.
Tennessee
The Smoky Mountains in Blount, Cocke, and Sevier Counties are forecast to get between 4 and 8 inches of snow in areas above 3,000 feet—with 10 inches expected along the highest peaks—and 40 mph winds until Thursday morning.
Alaska
Up to 20 inches of snow could fall along the Klondike Highway, above 2,500 feet, with winds reaching 65 mph during Wednesday morning, with the NWS warning that “travel will be very difficult and is discouraged unless it is an emergency.”
The central Susitna Valley and upper Matanuska Valley could see between 3 and 6 inches of snow until Wednesday afternoon, with visibility reduced to half a mile or less.
Thompson Pass could get up to 10 inches of snow and 50 mph winds until Wednesday night, and the central Aleutians up to 10 inches and 60 mph winds until Thursday morning.
Kentucky
Harlan, Letcher, and Pike Counties could see around 2 inches of snow—up to 7 inches are possible on Big Black Mountain—by Thursday morning.
Indiana
Parts of northern Indiana are expected to get between 6 and 8 inches of snow and winds gusting as high as 40 mph from noon on Wednesday until Thursday, meaning “whiteout conditions are likely,” which “will make travel treacherous.”
Northern and eastern Porter County could get up to 5 inches of snow by Thursday morning, and Marshall and Starke Counties up to 6 inches, with 35 mph winds, until noon on Thursday.
North Carolina
Areas above 3,500 feet in Haywood and Swain Counties could get up to 12 inches of snow with 45 mph winds from Wednesday afternoon until Thursday. According to the NWS, “the heavy snow will make many roads impassable and may produce widespread power outages due to the weight of the snow on tree limbs and power lines.”
Michigan
Allegan, Van Buren, Mason, Muskegon, and Oceana Counties are forecast to get between 6 and 8 inches of snow along and west of the I-196 and the US-31, with 45 mph winds, until Thursday morning.
Benzie, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Manistee, and Wexford Counties could see up to 7 inches of snow and 40 mph winds—which will lead to blowing and drifting snow—until Thursday morning.
Alger, Baraga, Luce, Marquette, and northern Schoolcraft counties are expected to get up to 5 inches of snow—with higher amounts likely to fall north of US-41 in Baraga and Marquette—until Wednesday afternoon.
Parts of southwest Michigan could get between 6 and 8 inches of snow and 40 mph winds—which means that “visibilities may drop to near zero at times due to falling and blowing snow”—from noon on Wednesday until noon on Thursday.
Pennsylvania
Warren County is expected to get up to 5 inches of snow by Friday, and Bradford and Susquehanna Counties up to 6 inches by Thursday afternoon.
West Virginia
Western areas of Grant and Pendleton Counties could see between 2 and 4 inches of snow and 45 mph winds until Thursday morning, and eastern Tucker County up to 5 inches of snow and 50 mph winds, especially across the higher elevations, until Thursday afternoon.
Maryland
Western Garrett County could get up to 4 inches of snow and 40 mph winds until Thursday morning.
New York
Madison, northern and southern Oneida, Onondaga, southern Cayuga Counties could see up to 7 inches of snow by Friday morning.
Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, and Yates Counties could get up to 6 inches by Thursday afternoon
The eastern Lake Ontario Region is forecast to get between 5 and 10 inches of snow from Wednesday morning until Friday morning, which will “result in snow-covered roads and limited visibilities.”
Wayne, northern Cayuga, Wyoming, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and southern Erie Counties could get up to 10 inches of snow—with the highest amounts expected across the Chautauqua Ridge and Boston Hills—until Friday morning.
Hamilton and northern Herkimer Counties could see between 3 and 5 inches of snow by Thursday evening, and Monroe, Livingston, Ontario, Niagara, Orleans, northern Erie, Genesee, and Allegany Counties up to 6 inches by Thursday afternoon.
Ohio
Ashtabula Inland, Ashtabula Lakeshore Park, Cuyahoga, Geauga, and Lake Counties could see between 2 and 5 inches of snow by Thursday evening, and Crawford and northern Erie Counties up to 6 inches by Friday morning. The NWS has warned that “temperatures will fall through the day Wednesday and wind chills could dip below zero Wednesday night.”
