Northeast hit with icy winter storm with another snowstorm on the way

NEW YORK – A winter storm moved into New England on Thursday afternoon after delivering a messy combination of heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain in the Midwest and Northeast.

This widespread mixed precipitation is expected to clear out of New England by Thursday evening, leaving mostly dry conditions until a second, even stronger storm is expected this weekend. 

It’s the first in a pair of high-impact winter storms that have millions of people on alert due to the widespread impacts. New York City and the surrounding Northeast region saw a messy Thursday morning commute before conditions began to improve.

The storm’s impact varies across the region. While New York City primarily saw sleet and some snow, areas north and west, like New England and the Hudson Valley, could see several inches of snow. 

Farther north, across northern New England, the snow will continue through the day Thursday and may not even change over north of Interstate 90. If anywhere is going to see more than 6 inches of snow, it’ll be there, the FOX Forecast Center said.

“Definitely much more like what Punxsutawney Phil said. Six more weeks of winter,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Michael Estime reported from Central Park in New York City. “And boy, we are in the thick of it right now.”

The worst icing of the event occurred across portions of the Appalachians from western Pennsylvania through western Maryland, eastern West Virginia and northwestern Virginia.

Ice Storm Warnings are in effect for up to a quarter-inch to half-inch of ice accretion. The FOX Forecast Center warns that scattered power outages and tree damage are possible from the weight of the ice.

But the good news is that, much like in the Midwest, warm air will now flood in, changing the snow to either freezing rain or plain rain.

Many schools in the affected areas are either closed or operating on a delayed schedule.

Farther south, freezing rain and even thunderstorms created additional challenges in parts of the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians.

Due to the instability associated with the storm system, severe weather and flooding struck portions of Kentucky and West Virginia on Thursday morning.

The freezing rain initially broke out Wednesday afternoon in the mid-Mississippi Valley before spreading toward the Great Lakes overnight.

While the freezing rain has ended in those areas, temperatures remain at or below freezing, leaving the ice in place on Thursday morning.

Temperatures will rise above freezing by Thursday afternoon, ending the ice threat in cities like Chicago, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Columbus and Cleveland in Ohio. Refreezing on the roads will be a concern Thursday night, however.

The storm will quickly exit New England by Thursday evening, leaving mainly dry conditions in its wake on Thursday night and Friday.

Looking ahead, the Northeast isn’t expected to catch a break for long.

The FOX Forecast Center is already tracking another winter storm for the weekend, prompting concerns about further travel disruptions and hazardous weather. 

Second winter storm to impact same regions this weekend

The FOX Forecast Center said a second, even stronger storm is expected this weekend.

The storm is also expected to bring freezing rain to nearly the same areas that were impacted during this first storm.

However, the FOX Forecast Center said there would be one major difference – this next storm will pack much more snow.

Heavy snow is looking increasingly likely on Saturday across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region. Cities like Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Detroit could see their biggest snowstorm so far this winter.

That storm will reach the Northeast on Saturday night and produce another round of snow, sleet and freezing rain. The FOX Forecast Center said that, like this first storm, Pennsylvania again appears to be in the bull’s-eye for highly impactful ice.

Rain is looking likely in the Ohio Valley and the Appalachians. Potentially heavy rain will be most concerning in the central Appalachians, and some flooding is possible.