Millions across US brace for coast-to-coast winter storm

The heavy snow and strong winds that develop over the Northern Rockies on Tuesday will spread south and east, according to an advisory from the National Weather Service. The weather system is expected to extend into the Plains by the evening, packing heavy snow, strong winds and freezing rain. The weather services warned of possible disruptions to power lines as a result.

The Upper Midwest, Great Lakes and parts of the Northeast are expected to get a taste of the wintry mix on Wednesday, when weather conditions are expected to worsen. Wind gusts greater than 30 mph could cause blizzard conditions over portions of the Midwest, forecasters said.

More than 8 inches of snow is likely in areas from South Dakota east through southern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and in parts of Michigan.

The weather service office in Billings, Montana, said plenty of snow and high temperatures around 3 degrees Fahrenheit were expected Wednesday. “Might be a good day to stay home,” the forecasters said. “Definitely not a day for travel or outdoor activities.”

Similar blustery conditions were also predicted for Salt Lake City on Tuesday, where the weather service office advised local residents to stay home or change their commute time. “Venture out only if you need to and stay safe,” they said.

“It’s not often we see the winter storm severity index in the ‘extreme’ category,” the weather service office in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, said. The state’s department of public safety urged residents to prepare before the weather worsened.

“Time is running out to get prepared for this expected major storm coming,” officials said. “Keep travel plans flexible and have enough supplies, including prescription medications, on hand at home.”

Although the storm was expected to wallop the Rockies and Midwest, it was also forecast to bring snow to a portion of the Northeast later in the week. A winter storm watch was in effect for parts of Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.

Heavier snow totals of up to a foot were likely for higher elevations, such as the Adirondacks and the Green and White Mountains, the weather service said. Lighter accumulations of up to 4 inches were predicted for the lower elevations across upstate New York and central New England.

Areas along the East Coast appear to be left out of the weather equation this time, as they have been much of this winter. New York City and other major cities along the Interstate 95 corridor are experiencing some of their least snowy seasons in the past 50 years.

Farther north, Canada’s weather and climate agency said that storm conditions would bring a wintry mix of snow and ice pellets to southern Ontario late Wednesday and into Thursday.

“Precipitation may fall heavily at times leading to hazardous winter travel conditions,” the agency said.