Winter weather is expected to dump heavy snow from the Sierra Nevada to New England, with some regions bracing for accumulations of up to 24 inches.
New snowfall maps from the National Weather Service (NWS) highlight at least 13 states expecting snow and other forms of winter weather on Wednesday. Blizzard‑like conditions with whiteout visibility are possible in the hardest‑hit areas, whereas other states could see freezing rain that makes travel treacherous.
As of Wednesday morning at around 10 a.m. Eastern time, the states enduring winter weather are Alaska, Hawaii, California, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Maryland, and Maine. Winter storm warnings, which are the most severe of the weather alerts, are in place for California, Wyoming, Colorado, and Maine, whereas the other states are under the less severe winter weather advisories.
The new forecast maps come as winter weather alerts for some parts of the Northeast, such as New Hampshire, have already expired, although NWS meteorologist Derek Schroeter told Newsweek that snow will persist through Wednesday for other areas, such as Maine.
States hit hardest by heavy snow
The highest snowfall amounts are forecast to reach up to 24 inches in the high elevation parts of the Sierra Nevada in California. NWS meteorologists at the Hanford office warned of difficult travel, with the heaviest snow expected on Wednesday morning.
Across the Intermountain West, heavy amounts were expected across the parts of Idaho and Utah under a winter weather advisory, with 15 inches of snow forecast for the hardest hit areas. In Southern Wyoming and Northern Colorado where a winter storm warning was in place, even higher amounts up to 20 inches were expected.
Snowfall amounts were expected to be much lower across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states under the winter advisory, but meteorologists warned that up to 5 inches of snow could still disrupt normal travel.
States at risk of ‘freezing drizzle’
Winter weather can be dangerous even without heavy snowfall amounts. Meteorologists in West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania warned of “freezing drizzle” preceding snow showers on Wednesday.
“Occasional freezing drizzle may lead to slippery conditions through this afternoon. Precipitation will transition to snow showers this afternoon and could continue through Thursday, with localized amounts of 1 to 3 inches possible,” the NWS Baltimore office said in a winter weather advisory.
Parts of New York also were expecting ice to accumulate on roads, which could make travel difficult.
“Periods of snow or freezing drizzle will result in slippery roads and limited visibilities. Slow down and use caution while driving,” NWS Buffalo said.
In Hawaii, freezing rain was expected at the highest elevations of the Big Island summits through 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday night.
Snowy or icy conditions could persist through Thursday night, depending on the location, and people residing in the affected areas are urged to follow the advice of local meteorologists until the poor weather conditions leaves the area. People are advised to drive carefully and keep emergency supplies in their vehicles in case they became stranded.
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