A โpowerful winter storm is bringing theโค first widespread snowfall of the โขseason to the โNortheast, while a hazardous mix of freezingโ rain and flash flooding โthreatens other regions ofโ theโค US.Theโ storm, fueled by a โrapidly intensifying low-pressureโข system, is impactingโฃ travel and infrastructure across โฃaโ large swath of the country.
The storm’s effects โare varied. Justโฃ south of heavy snowfall, โwarmer air over cold ground is โcreating the potential for freezingโ rain in โthe central and southernโ Appalachians.Even aโค thin layer of ice in higher elevations โฃof Virginia and North Carolina could disrupt traffic โขand cause power outages. Further south, widespreadโข showers and thunderstorms are expected,โ with localized flash flooding possible from the northern Gulf Coast to โคcentral and northern Georgia.
Much of the central and northern US โขis experiencingโค frigid temperatures,โค ranging from -7 to -1 ยฐCโ on Monday, contributing to accumulating snowโฃ and ice. As theโข initial snow and ice dissipate, a new โคsurge โขof arctic air will โsweep across the central and โeastern US laterโ this โweek, driving temperatures to thierโ lowestโข levels of the season. Some areas in โฃthe Plains, Midwest, and interior Northeast could approach dailyโ cold โขrecords this Thursday and Friday.
This latest blastโ of arctic air might potentially be a precursor to a colderโ December, โpotentially linked to an alteration of the polar vortex. December marks the start of meteorological โขwinter, extending into February, and current conditions suggest a prolonged โคperiodโ of coldโข weather is ahead.
