The last big winter storm of February is making its way across the country, bringing heavy snow, ice, and freezing temperatures. According to the National Weather Service, the storm will start in the central Plains and move eastward into the Mid-Mississippi Valley by Tuesday before reaching the southern Mid-Atlantic on Wednesday.
Snowfall is expected to pile up in the northern Rockies and High Plains on Tuesday, with some areas getting up to a foot of snow. As the storm moves eastward, it will bring a mix of sleet and freezing rain to parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri.
“This is just the first part of the storm,” meteorologist Brandon Buckingham from AccuWeather explained. “The second wave will bring even heavier snow and ice as it spreads farther south and into the mid-Mississippi Valley from Tuesday to Wednesday.”
Cities like Topeka and Wichita, Kansas; St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield, Missouri; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Fort Smith, Arkansas, are in for a major snowstorm, which will likely cause significant travel disruptions. By Wednesday, the storm will push eastward, hitting the Tennessee Valley and the southern Appalachians before reaching the Mid-Atlantic by nighttime.
Eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia are looking at 4-6 inches of snow, while southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina could see more than 8 inches. Little Rock, Nashville, and Memphis can expect 1-3 inches, with Kentucky picking up 3-6 inches. Some areas in the Deep South and the Carolinas will also see sleet and ice.
Meanwhile, the Gulf Coast and northern Florida are bracing for heavy rain and thunderstorms as the storm’s low-pressure system tracks offshore. “Locally heavy rain and flash flooding are possible along the Gulf Coast,” the weather service warned.
As if snow and ice weren’t enough, a deep freeze is setting in across the Plains and Gulf Coast, thanks to an arctic blast from a polar vortex. Temperatures will plunge well below zero from Montana and the Dakotas to the upper Midwest and central Plains, with wind chills dipping to a dangerous -30 to -60 degrees.
The bitter cold will stretch all the way to the Gulf Coast by Thursday morning, with many places seeing record-breaking low temperatures. The National Weather Service is urging people to bundle up in layers, including hats, gloves, and face masks, if they need to go outside.
With winter showing no signs of backing down just yet, this storm is a final reminder of just how intense the season can be.
