More than half of the U.S. Is preparing for a brutal winter storm that will hit the Midwest, the Northeast, and parts of the South this week.
The National Weather Service said that heavy snow is expected on Tuesday into Wednesday across Oklahoma and the Central Plains and the Upper Midwest. Moderate to heavy snow is also expected across the Cascades and Northern Rockies, with the potential for eight or more inches of snow impacting southern Utah and northern Arizona later this week.
More than 200 million people will be hit with snow, rain, ice, and flooding from the storm, which is expected in 26 of the 30 most populous states, according to AccuWeather.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys said parts of New England might expect an “ice storm” from Wednesday night into Thursday. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned residents via Twitter to “plan accordingly — especially during afternoon commute hours!”
Heavy rainfall and flooding are also expected in parts of Ohio and Tennessee, and the Lower Mississippi River Valleys.
A few days of potentially flooding rains across portions of the Ohio, Tennessee, and Lower Mississippi River Valleys. Check out https://t.co/VyWINDk3xP for what to expect in your neck of the woods. Pic.twitter.com/Vf40t73Yl1
— National Weather Service (@NWS) February 19, 2019
The National Weather Service warned that heavy snow and ice across the Central Plains and the Upper Midwest could create dangerous travel conditions, and residents should be careful while on the roads.
Midwestern cities from Kansas City and Omaha, to Des Moines, Minneapolis, and Duluth, all the way through the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast can expect snowfall starting Tuesday and Wednesday.