A new forecast map has revealed a 3,000-mile-long swath of the US set to be hit with snow this week as a trio of winter storms barrels across the US.
Meteorologists predict accumulating snow will fall in more than 40 states from California to Maine over the next four days. Most areas will receive one to six inches, but some could see a foot or more.
By the end of the week, several feet of snow could pile up in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains.
Heavy accumulations are also expected in Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado.
In the Midwest, much of northern Kansas is expecting up to a foot of snow, as well as localized areas in Nebraska, Missouri and Illinois.
Further East, up to a foot of snow may fall in northern Virginia and northern Maine, as well as portions of upstate New York and West Virginia.
The snow will be brought by three back-to-back storms set to hit the US this week, prompting the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue winter storm warnings and advisories in parts of 20 states.
Those include Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.
A new forecast map has revealed a 3,000-mile-long swath of the US set to be hit with snow this week as a trio of winter storms barrels across the US
In addition to the snow, widespread icing could cause power outages, create dangerous road conditions and trigger deicing operations at airports, potentially leading to flight delays.
Significant rainfall and flooding are also a concern for the south-central and southeastern US.
The first two storms could inundate the region with two to six inches of rain through Thursday, followed by the third storm on Friday that will dump five to 10 inches of rain. This could cause flooding and potentially dangerous thunderstorms.
The first storm kicks off Tuesday and stretches into Wednesday, bringing heavy snowfall and dangerous ice accumulations to more than a dozen eastern states from Missouri to Maryland and Massachusetts, according to AccuWeather.
In some places, snowfall rates could reach one to two inches per hour, making it impossible for road crews to keep up, AccuWeather meteorologists warned.
The area from eastern Kentucky to New Jersey and Delaware is expected to see the most snowfall, with roughly three to six inches of accumulation. This includes the major cities of Washington DC, Philadelphia and Charleston, West Virginia.
This first storm alone has the potential to break snowfall records.
Boston, Massachusetts is bracing for more snow this week after five inches fell on February 9
New York City is also expecting more snow after the February 8 storm that created picturesque but hazardous road conditions
The Big Apple received three to five inches of snow over the weekend, and can now expect another one to four inches to accumulate by Wednesday
Washington DC will be well ahead of its seasonal snowfall average by mid-week. As of February 10, the nation’s capital has seen 8.4 inches of snow compared to the historical average of 8.6 inches.
This storm’s impact will also extend north from New York City to southern New England, where one to four inches of snow is expected.
Further south, freezing rain could spread ice from southwestern Virginia to southeastern West Virginia and northwestern North Carolina, creating dangerous travel conditions and potential power outages, AccuWeather warned.
This storm will also bring the first bout of drenching rain to the southeast, setting the stage for flash flooding and severe thunderstorms in the lower Mississippi Valley.
The second storm will also take shape Tuesday, dumping snow across the Rockies and the Plains through Wednesday morning before moving into the Midwest and Northeast where it will continue to rage through early Thursday.
This storm will hit hardest in a corridor that stretches from Denver, Colorado to Caribou, Maine, the Washington Post reported.
The first of three winter storms this week is expected to impact millions in the Gulf Coast states Monday night into Tuesday
The second storm will also take shape Tuesday. Boston, MA; February 9, 2025
Snowfall totals of two to four or four to eight inches will spread across 19 states in the Mountain West, the Midwest and the Northeast.
That includes parts of Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
In the deep south, severe thunderstorms could develop from Wednesday afternoon through early Thursday in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, with a potential risk for tornadoes as well.
The second storm, developing Tuesday night into Wednesday, will cover even more of the United States with freezing rain and snow
The second and third storms expected to hit this week could spread severe thunderstorms, drenching rain and flash floods throughout southern states, just weeks after Dallas, Texas experienced urban flooding at the end of January
The third storm of the week will move into Southern California on Friday, bringing heavy rain. This state is still reeling from drenching rains and flooding last week
By the time this second storm wraps up Thursday, the third will already be barreling into the West Coast before spreading eastward from Friday through the weekend.
Meteorologists are still working to assess the storm’s most probable impacts.
Based on what they know so far, an atmospheric river could bring rainfall heavy enough to cause flooding and ‘life-threatening’ debris flows in parts of Southern California Thursday, according to the NWS station in Los Angeles.
Rain will continue to fall in Coastal California into Friday while snow begins falling in the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Intermountain West.
Friday evening into Saturday, the storm will move east into the Plains and Midwest and potentially spread snow from Kansas to Michigan.
It will keep trekking along its eastward path Saturday evening into Sunday, when the Northeast can expect more snow and ice as well.
In addition to the snow, this third storm will drag a line of strong to severe thunderstorms and heavy rain through the south over the weekend, raising the risk of flash flooding, strong wind gusts and possible tornadoes.
Even after this parade of storms ends this weekend, a fourth winter storm could take place next week and bring even more snow to the Northeast, meteorologists warn.
But with just 19 days left of meteorological winter, the weather should begin to calm down after that storm system moves offshore.
