Winter storm to bring snow and ice to states from Texas to Maine
A significant winter storm is expected to move from the Southern Plains through the Ohio Valley and into New England beginning on Wednesday. The National Weather Service warned the snow and ice could result in power outages and dangerous travel conditions for many.
Portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee are under winter storm warnings.
The NWS Weather Prediction Center said Wednesday that the storm could bring "significant ice accumulations" to Texas' Red River Valley and the Ozarks in Missouri, leading to hazardous conditions, including potential power outages and tree damage.
The Dallas Independent School District canceled school on Thursday due to the storm. Meanwhile, area airports were also impacted by the weather. Most inbound and outbound flights at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport were either canceled or delayed on Wednesday, according to the airport's website.
As the winter storm moves north, dangerous weather conditions will spread towards the Northeast, bringing ice to portions of Pennsylvania and western Maryland, as well as heavy snow to parts of New York and New England Thursday through Friday. Snowfall rates of up to an inch an hour are expected, with much of New England under a winter storm watch, the NWS said.
"As the system moves to the Central Appalachians/Mid-Atlantic on Friday morning, heavy snow will develop over parts of the Northeast into Southern New England," the NWS in College Park, Maryland, reported. "Widespread amounts of 6-12 inches are forecast."
The storm will hit just days after parts of New York saw near-record temperatures, CBS New York's Elise Finch reports. On Wednesday, temperatures reached 68 degrees, 24 degrees higher than the normal temperature for late February and only 4 degrees lower than the record high temperature, reported in 1874.
Residents in the path of the storm are encouraged to take precautions as conditions could become hazardous. Those who do not have to travel are encouraged to stay home, as ice could make the roads dangerous.
