Later this week, a new, strong storm that mimics the course and dangers of the big storm that pounded much of the nation earlier this week will play out in a scenario that is uncannily identical.
As the first storm passed on Wednesday, thousands of people in the eastern United States were still without power, rivers were rising and evacuating residents, and at least four people had died from severe thunderstorms and wind.
The second storm will increase the risk to the same areas in the central and eastern United States, which might have an impact on individuals who are still recuperating.
The Pacific Northwest, which was devastated by Tuesday’s blizzard conditions, is the source of the latest storm.
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Through Wednesday afternoon, snow and strong winds are expected to persist throughout the Northwest until the storm moves into the Four Corners area late on Wednesday. Through Thursday, a blast of snow is expected to hit the higher altitudes in Arizona and New Mexico.
The storm will then intensify into a considerably larger beast when it leaves the Plains by Thursday night, setting the setup for a very significant event in the central and eastern US. This strengthening will be facilitated by a significant surge of atmospheric energy.
This is a summary of what to anticipate.
Thursday night: South faces extreme danger, Plains see snow
Thursday night will see the storm intensify and start dumping snow into the Midwest from areas of Kansas and Nebraska, some of which may be heavy at times. Again, strong gusts will accompany this snow, perhaps resulting in a whiteout. Travel on Thursday night might get dangerous.
Extremely cold air will simultaneously break out of Canada and dive south, bringing record low temperatures to most of the north-central United States.
A large section of the South will once again be at threat from strong thunderstorms. A Level 2 out of 5 danger of severe thunderstorms is in effect for portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi on Thursday night.
The Storm Prediction Center states that these storms “may increasingly pose a risk for severe hail, wind, and tornadoes prior to daybreak Friday.”
Tornadoes provide the greatest hazard from middle Arkansas to northern Louisiana.
Friday: The highest level of storm threat
Snow will cover much of the Midwest as the storm intensifies and travels eastward on Friday.
It is anticipated that this storm would only leave significant snowfall in areas of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan. Some inland areas of every state may receive up to a foot of snowfall, far from the Great Lakes’ comparative warmth.
The precise amount of snowfall that Chicago will receive from this storm is yet unknown. Its closeness to Lake Michigan may prevent air temperatures from falling far enough to produce a substantial amount of snowfall. However, if the city is caught in an exceptionally thick snowfall, a lot more snow may manage to cling and cause serious problems for transportation.
As this is going on, very cold air will keep spreading over much of the central and northern United States. While portions of North Dakota will be fortunate if high temperatures hit zero degrees on Friday, Omaha, Nebraska, is unlikely to see air temperatures rise beyond the single digits.
Another substantial severe thunderstorm outbreak is expected to affect a significant chunk of the Southeast and the mid-Atlantic on the storm’s southern, warm side.
Areas from Alabama to North Carolina are most at danger of destructive storms. This area is under a Level 3 out of 5 danger of severe thunderstorms on Friday, with the possibility of devastating wind gusts and a few powerful tornadoes.
More of the mid-Atlantic will get rain, and by Friday night, it will even reach some areas of the Northeast. As the rain moves in, worries about flooding will spread from areas of Pennsylvania and New Jersey into Southern New England.
Total rainfall is predicted to be around the same or little less than during the last storm: Although isolated regions may experience closer to 3 inches, 1 to 2 inches are the most likely. Flooding might occur much more readily because of the soggy soils and still-swollen rivers from the previous storm.
Saturday: Northeast is most likely to experience a power outage
By early Saturday morning, the storm will be over the Northeast, bringing with it the possibility of some sleet mixed in with the snow, especially in northern New England.
Strong winds will again batter the Northeast along with the winter precipitation, and more power disruptions are probably in store. Thousands of people in the East lost power during the most recent storm, and many still do so on Wednesday.
The Great Lakes will still get snowfall, and some lake-effect snow may form late on Saturday in the storm’s aftermath.
By Saturday morning, the storm’s most severe effects should have passed over the Southeast and the mid-Atlantic, but some windy conditions will still be present.
The extreme cold that is sweeping through the central US this weekend and into next week will only grow worse. There will be dangerously high temperatures, particularly in the north central United States.
