Last week was the week of Winter Storm Gia, but this weekend we will face Winter Storm Harper, and we are in for plenty more snow.
Harper has already made her way through parts of the west and is bringing along snow and ice paired with strong winds to the Plains, Midwest, and Northeast regions. Thus far, the heaviest snowfall has been in Lone Pine, California, where they reported five inches in just two hours of snowfall!
As snow continues throughout parts of the Rockie’s region and will also spread into the Dakota’s, Nebraska, Iowa, and southern Minnesota. Winter Storm Warnings/Watches (in cities including Chicago, Boston, Milwaukee, Boston, Buffalo, Cleveland, Hartford, Pittsburgh, and Des Moines) and Winter Weather Advisories have been passed down from the National Weather Service through the northern and central Plains region and east into the Great Lakes region into the New England region.
The brunt of this storm is expected in the cities that received Storm Warnings, though that does not mean that other areas shouldn’t be vigilant and cautious. With weather like this, it never hurts to check your local forecast and traffic conditions.
The storm will continue to escalate in severity, tacking on the build up of snow, as it progresses through the weekend further into the Plains and Midwest region. Along with this snow, ice, wind and hazardous road conditions can be expected. Sleet and freezing rain will be possible in Missouri and Ohio and into southern New England.
By Sunday, the Northeast region can expect a fuller amount of snow throughout the majority of the day while the east will experience strong force winds accompanied by some sleet and/or freezing rain.
With all this in mind, safety should be the number 1 concern when headed outdoors. The lowered temperatures, the blizzard-like conditions, ice on walkways and roadways, strong winds, and layers of snow in the forecast this weekend makes this an ideal time to be prepared to stay indoors unless truly necessary.