Heaviest snowfall in a decade possible as winter blast rocks parts of US – The Denver Post

By PATRICK WHITTLE and BRIAN WITTE

A blast of snow, ice, wind and plunging temperatures made for dangerous travel conditions in parts of the central United States on Sunday, as a disruptive winter storm brought the possibility of the “heaviest snowfall important for a decade” in certain regions.

Snow and ice covered major roads throughout most of Kansas, western Nebraska and parts of Indiana, where the state National Guard was activated to help stranded motorists. At least 8 inches of snow were expected, especially north of Interstate 70, as the National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings for Kansas and Missouri, where blizzard conditions brought gusty winds going up to 45 miles per hour (72.42 kilometers per hour). The warning extended to New Jersey on Monday and into Tuesday morning.

“For locations in this region receiving the highest snow totals, this could be the heaviest snowfall in at least a decade,” the weather service said Sunday.

About 63 million people in the United States were under some sort of winter weather advisory, watch or warning as of Sunday, according to Bob Oravec of the National Weather Service.

The polar vortex of ultracold air generally orbits the North Pole. People in the United States, Europe, and Asia experience intense cold as the vortex escapes and expands southward.

Studies show that rapid warming in the Arctic is partly responsible for the increasing frequency of the polar vortex extending its icy grip.

Snow and ice forecast

In Indiana, snow completely covered portions of Interstate 64, Interstate 69 and U.S. Route 41, prompting Indiana State Police to implore motorists to stay indoors. away from roads as snow plows worked to keep pace with the precipitation.

“It’s snowing so hard that the snowplows are coming by, and in less than half an hour the roads are completely covered again,” said Sgt. » said Todd Ringle.

Part of I-70 was closed in central Kansas Saturday afternoon. About 10 inches (25 centimeters) of snow fell in parts of the state, with snow and sleet totals expected to exceed 14 inches in parts of Kansas and northern Missouri.

Parts of upstate New York saw 3 feet or more of snow from a lake effect that is expected to last through Sunday afternoon.

The storm was then forecast to move through the Ohio Valley and reach the mid-Atlantic states on Sunday and Monday, with severe frost expected as far south as Florida.

Car crashes begin as storm hits

The National Weather Service warned that road travel could be “very difficult, if not impossible.”

As of Sunday, dozens of car crashes had been reported in Virginia, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri and Kentucky, where a state trooper was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after his police car was struck on Interstate 65.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who declared a state of emergency before the storm, said state buildings would be closed Monday.

“We see way too many wrecks for people not to have to be on the roads, so I want to ask: stay indoors. Stay safe with your family. Let the road crews do their job,” the governor said in a video posted to social media. “We want to make sure no one gets hurt and everyone gets out safely, so please look out for each other.”

The governors of Missouri and Arkansas also declared states of emergency.

Air and rail travel are also struggling

The storms also wreaked havoc on the country’s railways, leading to numerous cancellations. More than 20 cancellations were planned for Sunday, 40 for Monday and at least two for Tuesday.

“If local officials are telling people not to travel, it’s counterintuitive to try to provide a full range of services while people are being told to stay home,” Amtrak spokesperson said , Marc Magliari. “Similarly, we know that our employees will have difficulty finding work. »

The Midwest has been particularly hard hit. A train between Chicago and New York and several regional trains between Chicago and St. Louis were among those canceled Sunday.

Nearly 200 flights to and from St. Louis Lambert International Airport have been canceled, according to tracking platform FlightAware.

Temperatures are falling, but no records are breaking

Starting Monday, the eastern two-thirds of the country will experience dangerous, bitter cold and wind chills, forecasters said. Temperatures could be 12 to 25 degrees (7 to 14 degrees Celsius) below normal.

On Sunday in Chicago, temperatures hovered between 7 and 10 degrees Celsius and around zero in Minneapolis, while dropping to -11 degrees Celsius in International Falls, Minnesota, on the Canadian border.

Northeast states are more likely to experience several cold days after a generally mild start to winter, said Jon Palmer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine. A plume of cold air from Canada will likely result in a cold but dry week, he said.

Cold air will likely grip the eastern half of the country as far as Georgia, Palmer said, with parts of the East Coast seeing freezing temperatures and lows falling into the single digits in some areas.

The wind could also strengthen as the week goes on, creating potentially dangerous conditions for people exposed to the elements for extended periods of time, Palmer said.

Disturbances extend south

The National Weather Service predicted 8 to 12 inches (about 20 to 30 centimeters) of snow in the Annapolis, Maryland, area, with temperatures remaining below freezing through the weekend.

In a statement on X, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency Friday evening ahead of the storm and encouraged residents to vote ahead of Tuesday’s state special election.

Similar statements were issued in Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, West Virginia and cities in central Illinois.

Courses canceled

School closures are expected to be widespread on Monday. Districts in Indiana, Maryland, Virginia and Kentucky were already announcing cancellations and delays on Sunday afternoon.

Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky canceled classes, extracurricular activities and sports for its nearly 100,000 students on Monday. This day would have been the first time students returned after winter break.

“This is a traditional snow day with no online learning,” the district announced.

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Read more of AP’s climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment

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Associated Press journalists Julie Walker in New York, Sophia Tareen in Chicago and Summer Ballentine in Columbia, Missouri, contributed. Witte reported from Annapolis, Maryland. Whittle was reported in Portland, Maine.

Originally published: January 5, 2025 at 6:02 a.m. MST