A powerful ‘megastorm’ set to slam a large swatch of the US could ultimately rank among the most impactful weather events of the year so far.
The sprawling system is forecast to sweep from the central Plains into the Midwest and East between Sunday and Monday, bringing widespread travel disruptions and power outages.
Blizzard conditions could hit parts of Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, northern Illinois and southeastern Minnesota, where forecasters warned that heavy snow and fierce winds may create dangerous whiteout conditions.
Farther south and east, a powerful line of thunderstorms is expected to erupt along the storm’s advancing Arctic cold front, bringing torrential rain, damaging winds and hail.
Major metropolitan hubs, including Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington DC, and Charlotte, could all experience flight delays or cancellations as the massive weather system barrels across the country.
AccuWeather meteorologists also warned that the storm may evolve into a rare bomb cyclone, a rapidly strengthening system capable of generating widespread, destructive winds.
A bomb cyclone occurs when a storm strengthens extremely quickly as atmospheric pressure rapidly falls, allowing the system to intensify and spread powerful winds over a vast area.
AccuWeather chief meteorologist Bernie Rayno said: ‘The storm from Sunday into Monday has the potential to become a bomb cyclone, which occurs when central pressure drops at least 0.71 inches of mercury (24 millibars) in 24 hours or less.
‘That rapid strengthening would generate an expansive and intense wind field.’
The sprawling system is forecast to sweep from the central Plains into the Midwest and East between Sunday and Monday, bringing widespread travel disruptions and power outages (STOCK)
Meteorologists said the incoming system could tap moisture from multiple sources as it strengthens.
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Matt Benz said in a statement: ‘The system will draw in significant Pacific moisture, then tap Gulf and Atlantic moisture as it advances across the Central and Northeastern states.’
The massive storm will impact a broad swath of the country as it expands, with the combined threats of snow, severe weather and powerful winds affecting areas home to nearly 200 million people.
Meteorologists warned that the most dangerous winter conditions will likely develop across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region on Monday, where heavy snow and powerful winds could combine to produce blizzard conditions.
‘Travel is likely to be especially hazardous Monday, as snow, strong winds and bitter cold combine to produce blizzard conditions across northern portions of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes region,’ Rayno said.
‘Actual temperatures may be no better than the teens and single digits in much of this area with AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures near or below zero for a time.’
A wide corridor of heavy snow is expected to stretch from parts of the Dakotas through northern Wisconsin and into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Some areas could see between one and three feet of snowfall, forcing plow crews into action and potentially shutting down major highways.
The sprawling system is forecast to sweep from the central Plains into the Midwest and East between Sunday and Monday, bringing widespread travel disruptions and power outages
The storm will also drag a powerful Arctic cold front across the country, sending temperatures plunging as it moves east.
Ahead of that front, warmer spring-like air will surge northward, creating the perfect setup for severe thunderstorms across parts of the Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley and Tennessee Valley.
Meteorologists noted that a squall line of storms could develop along the cold front, producing damaging wind gusts, heavy rain and hail as it moves eastward from Sunday into Monday.
Poor visibility, flooding on highways and airport ground stops are all possible as the storms develop.
Behind the front, a surge of Arctic air will sweep across much of the Plains and Midwest before spreading toward the Appalachians and parts of the East Coast.
While the cold air will weaken somewhat by the time it reaches the Atlantic seaboard, many communities could still experience some of their lowest temperatures in weeks from Tuesday through Thursday.
