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A major winter storm is set to sweep the United States this weekend, bringing with it snow, sleet, ice and sub-zero temperatures from the Arizona-New Mexico border to upstate New York.
What is it?
A winter storm is defined as a combination of heavy snow, blowing snow and/or dangerous wind chills, according to the NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory, which also describes it as “life-threatening”.
The approaching storm is due to an area of low pressure moving up from the Gulf of Mexico (bringing lots of moisture) and meeting extremely cold Arctic air plunging south from Canada.
The winter storm set to hit the US comes with warnings of ice. An ice storm is one which results in the accumulation of at least a quarter of an inch of ice on exposed surfaces – creating hazardous driving and walking conditions and the threat of downed power lines and trees.
Where is it heading?
The National Weather Service has warned communities the “significant, long-duration winter storm” will bring “widespread heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain from the Southern Rockies to New England” – lasting from Friday until Monday, and to prepare for “bitterly cold temperatures and dangerously cold wind chills”.
The storm is expected to bring a crippling ice storm from Texas through parts of the South, potentially around 30cm (12ins) of snow from Oklahoma through Washington DC, New York and Boston.
Then a final punch of bitterly cold air could plunge temperatures to -46C (-50F) in parts of Minnesota and North Dakota.
Forecasters are warning the damage, especially in areas hit by heavy snowfall and ice, could rival a hurricane.
“The storm will cause significant to locally catastrophic ice accumulations with the potential for long-duration power outages, extensive tree damage, and extremely dangerous or impassable travel…
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