Love it or hate it, it’s winter here in the U.S. — and in addition to cooler temperatures, you can also expect snow and wintry mixes. This weekend, the eastern part of the country is preparing for Winter Storm Ember, which is expected to bring snow, ice, rain and wind. Travel conditions may be difficult for people in this region on Saturday and Sunday, according to meteorologists at The Weather Channel. However, if you expect that you won’t have any problems in the coming work week, think again. Another storm is on the horizon, and this one is expected to bring “everything but the kitchen sink” to several regions of the U.S., according to The Weather Channel.
“Some of us meteorologists at Weather.com like to throw around the phrase ‘kitchen sink storm’ when a large system like this checks the boxes for many hazards at once.” Chris Dolcemeteorologist at Weather.com said in a discussion posted on Weather Underground (part of The Weather Company, which owns The Weather Channel/weather.com).
He continued: “These storms occur during the cooler months of the year when the jet stream is stronger and can create strong low pressure areas that can create a variety of different weather conditions due to the collision of milder air from the Gulf of Mexico and colder air , which seeps south from Canada.
Meteorologists say this second storm, dubbed Winter Storm Finn, could actually be a “bigger deal” than Ember, especially because it will have more widespread impacts along and east of the Mississippi River. Read on to find out what you can expect in your area.
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The Weather Channel notes that it’s a little early to predict the details of the storm’s impact on all regions, but it’s starting in the west. People in this region can expect snow and rain, with the snow potentially affecting travel in valley and mountain areas, including Salt Lake City and Boise, Idaho, the outlet said.
As a Weather.com meteorologist Sunday Davis Explained in an accompanying forecast video, Finn follows a similar path to Ember, but instead of moving away from the west coast, it heads north, presenting a “potpourri of weather.”
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“A band of snow” and strong winds are expected north of the storm’s track, from the Central Plains to the Midwest and the Great Lakes, according to The Weather Channel. For those on the warm side of the storm, i.e. to the south, there is a chance of heavy rain and wind.
According to The Weather Channel, people in the central states can expect the strongest impacts on Monday and Tuesday, which may not occur until Wednesday.
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Davis said there could be strong storms in the south, which is “the biggest concern.” The Weather Channel says these storms are possible near the Gulf Coast during the day Monday and into the evening.
Storms could move into the Southeast on Tuesday, with the possibility of “damaging winds, hail and some tornadoes.” The heavy rain expected in this region could also lead to flooding.
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According to The Weather Channel, the Northeast isn’t getting a break after Winter Storm Ember. Heavy rainfall is forecast to impact the coast and the Interstate 95 corridor from Boston to Washington, DC. Snowfall or wintry mixes are expected in the “inner areas” of the region, which will then transition to rain.
Similar to the central states, eastern states can expect to face the brunt of the storm on Monday, Tuesday and possibly Wednesday.
Additionally, Davis pointed out that flooding is also a problem for this region.
“Especially in parts of the Northeast where it’s been snowing heavily and you’re seeing rain coming in, that could lead to flooding,” she said in the forecast video.
No matter where you live, The Weather Channel stresses that you should pay attention to the latest forecasts as the storm is likely to change in the coming days.
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In discussion posted on Weather Underground, senior meteorologist at Weather.com Linda Lam noted that there are some parts of the U.S. where the weather will be temperate, at least for a short period of time.
“Conditions will be fairly pleasant across much of Texas to the lower Mississippi Valley this weekend,” Lam said. “Dry weather is expected and temperatures will rise into the 50s and 60s. However, rain returns as early as Sunday night and parts of this area need to be prepared for the risk of severe thunderstorms on Monday.”
To the Northeast, Boston will have “milder air” and rain-free skies ahead of Ember on Saturday, while the mid-Atlantic through the Carolinas will also have clear skies and no “severely cold” air on Sunday, according to Weather.com’s digital forecaster Jonathan Belles added.
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