Major Winter Storm Spreading Snow, Damaging Ice From the South Into the Midwest and Northeast

 

A major winter storm, named Uri by The Weather Channel, is underway and will spread snow and potentially damaging ice from the South into parts of the Midwest and Northeast through early week.

(MORE: Uri Knocks Out Power, Creates Hazardous Travel)

This winter storm is being spurred on by a vigorous jet-stream disturbance and a low-pressure system spreading moisture into record-breaking cold air that is now entrenched across the central U.S.

Current Status

Into early Monday morning, Uri will steadily spread snow and ice eastward from Texas and Oklahoma to as far east as the western Gulf Coast, lower Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley and southern Great Lakes.

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Current Status

Winter storm warnings, watches and winter advisories for Uri stretch from parts of the South into the Midwest and interior Northeast.

The entire states of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas were under winter storm warnings as of Sunday afternoon.

Locations where warnings are in effect will generally have the worst impacts from this storm, including the potential for impossible travel conditions and/or damaging ice.

Winter Alerts

Forecast Timing

Sunday Night

Sunday night, snow and ice will spread south and east across Texas while expanding eastward toward the Mississippi and Ohio valleys, including from San Antonio and Dallas-Ft. Worth to St. Louis, Indianapolis and Cincinnati.

A band of sleet and freezing rain will fall on the southern and eastern end of the precipitation Sunday night from southern Texas into Louisiana and the lower-Mississippi and Tennessee valleys, including Houston, Lake Charles, Louisiana, Jackson, Mississippi, Huntsville, Alabama, and Charleston, West Virginia.

Sunday Night's Forecast

Monday

Snow, possibly heavy at times, may fall Monday from eastern Texas into parts of northern Louisiana, Arkansas, and the mid-Mississippi and Ohio valleys. Some snowfall or ice will expand as far east as the Northeast.

Freezing rain and sleet will occur just to the east of the area of snow from southern and central Louisiana to the Tennessee Valley and the central Appalachians. The ice will make travel dangerous and could also damage trees and knock out power in some areas.

By Monday night, this mess of snow, freezing rain and sleet will be in the Northeast, while continuing from the Ohio Valley southward into the Tennessee Valley. Significant icing is possible to the north and west of Interstate 95 from southeast Pennsylvania into northern New Jersey, southeast New York and parts of southern New England.

Monday's Forecast

Tuesday

Uri will finish up in the Northeast on Tuesday.

Snowfall and some ice can be expected from parts of upstate New York into western and northern New England. Rain is expected along the Interstate 95 corridor from Boston to Philadelphia.

Much of the snow and ice from this storm will be over by Tuesday night.

Tuesday's Forecast

How Much Snow and Ice?

Given the wealth of cold air in place, many locations that are typically on the border of snow vs. rain will be solidly snow with this storm.

At least 5 to 8 inches of snow is expected from parts of central and eastern Texas northeastward to northern Louisiana and the lower Mississippi and Ohio valleys. Some localized heavier totals topping 8 inches are expected.

This includes places like Dallas-Ft. Worth, which could easily pick up several inches of snow. This will likely be the first snowfall at Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport with an inch or more of snow, since early March 2015.

In fact, accumulating snow is even possible as far south as San Antonio and Houston. The last time measurable snow fell at Houston's Hobby Airport was Dec. 7-8, 2017.

South, Midwest Snow Forecast

Farther to the Northeast, most areas from Ohio into western and northern Pennsylvania, upstate New York and northern New England should see 5 or more inches of snowfall. Up to a foot of snowfall is possible in some of these areas, including Cleveland, Syracuse, New York, and Burlington, Vermont.

Northeast Snow Forecast

There is also a threat of widespread accumulating ice from parts of central and southeast Texas into Louisiana, Mississippi, northern and western Alabama, middle and eastern parts of Tennessee and Kentucky and West Virginia.

The potential for significant icing could extend into the Northeast as well, especially in areas near and just north and west of Interstate 95, from southeast Pennsylvania to northern New Jersey, southeast New York and southern New England.

All of these locations could have enough ice to slicken untreated roads and make travel dangerous.

Ice could be heavy enough to damage trees and knock out power as well, especially in areas shaded darker purple on the map below.

Another winter storm, named Viola by The Weather Channel, will quickly follow on the heels of Uri this week. It could spread more snow and ice through some of the same areas impacted by Uri.

For more details on Winter Storm Viola, click here.

Storm Recap

Uri impacted the Pacific Northwest with heavy snow and damaging ice late Friday into Saturday. Seattle had a two-day snowfall total of 11.1 inches from the storm.

Heavy snow and wind gusts over 60 mph were reported in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday morning.

Check back to weather.com for updates and potential changes as key details become clearer in the coming days.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.