Eastern U.S. has received weather warnings for a likely winter storm, followed by extremely cold weather. Several schools have been closed, flights halted and including the federal government in DC that is closed for today. Approximately 4 to 8 inches is expected across southern Appalachians including some areas of Mid-Atlantic that could see a lower scale of the snow.
Weather watches along with warnings are being set from Texas to Maine so that people are prepared in advance for severe storms as well as flooding from rains. Approximately, 2700 flights were canceled on Sunday alone, and 1700 more are already canceled on Monday with close to 500 more delayed.
The winter storm is going to be the first source of weather-related nuisance in the year, with extreme cold in several parts of the country. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy already declared a state of emergency for 5 counties in order to prepare and respond to any disasters or stay proactive for any and all consequences warned by the weather officials.
Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina warned residents in the area to stay prepared and ready. “It’s important to stay informed of changing weather conditions, and to have a way to receive weather alerts. A little preparation before severe or winter weather arrives can help avoid inconveniences and emergencies later,” said Governor Cooper. In addition to this, areas within Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee, all had winter storm warnings overnight that might get carried through until mid-day.
Meteorologist at the National Weather Service, Connor Belak said, “We’re going to be dealing with rates potentially on the border of 1/2 inch to an inch an hour at the peak of the storm, and with those [kinds] of rates it’ll definitely cause some issues on the roadways. Especially the elevated surfaces like bridges.”
The time between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. is expected to be most critical, with the heaviest slow falling around that time. Whether you have a winter storm warning in your area or not, avoid leaving your house without a necessary reason as the winds, snow or rain could be highly dangerous to face.
