A crippling ice storm is expected to hit parts of the United States, with travelers and commuters warned to expect serious disruptions on several major highways. As of early Monday, 11 states from Texas to Michigan were on alert for ice, freezing rain and mixed precipitation that could create chaos for many. Ice storm warnings from the National Weather Service cover Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri, as well as a winter storm warning for Oklahoma, which is for ice, not snow.
The storm system is anticipated to move through the Heartland and the South in the morning, bringing freezing rain, sleet, and heavy rain to Interstates 35, 40, 70, 80, and 90. While the South can expect warmer air to move in during the afternoon, ending icy conditions, frigid conditions will persist into the evening hours for the midwestern cities of Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit, and Cleveland.
Snow and ice are expected to move into the Northeast on Tuesday, with the freeze continuing throughout the afternoon from Erie, Pennsylvania, to Buffalo, New York, and on into Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. A glaze of ice and several inches of snow are expected to fall from Pennsylvania to New York’s Hudson Valley and New England, creating hazardous driving conditions during Tuesday’s evening rush hour.
Following the ice storm, the South can anticipate severe weather with rounds of heavy rain throughout the week, with some areas expected to receive up to six inches of rainfall from Texas to Mississippi, including the cities of Houston, New Orleans, and Jackson. Flash flooding and severe weather with the possibility of a few tornadoes will be possible along the Gulf Coast.
Meanwhile, a powerful storm system is approaching the West Coast, bringing heavy, extended rainfall, particularly to California, where the National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Monday. Flood watches are in effect for the cities of Anaheim, San Diego, and Sacramento for up to 2 to 4 inches of rainfall.
In the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, heavy, wet snow is predicted, with local snowfall amounts of 1 to 2 feet, as the National Weather Service has issued an avalanche watch there for Monday.
