- Up to 12 states in the Midwest and Northeast will see snow this weekend
- The snow forecast will be smaller in scale compared to the storm that hit the Great Plains during the Christmas holiday
- Flooding and waves reaching 30 feet are expected along the west coast
A blustery winter storm that brought blizzards to millions of Americans in the Great Plains during the Christmas holiday season is now sweeping across the country as a dozen states could see snow this coming New Year's weekend.
The storm, which endangered vacationers and forced crews to clear treacherous roads in the Plains region, is now moving east, bringing snow to up to 12 states in the Midwest and Northeast.
According to a Weather Channel map, Eastern Missouri, southeastern Iowa, Illinois, southern Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee could see some snow by Friday night.
Patches of snow will also blow for residents in West Virginia, Vermont, upstate New York and Maine by Friday night.
“If you missed a white Christmas in some places, you're going to get some snow in the Midwest,” Weather Channel meteorologist Kait Parker said.
The snow forecast for the Midwest is expected to be smaller in scale compared to the storm that hit Nebraska, where several vehicles crashed and slid on Interstate 80 on Christmas Day.
“We're not looking at a huge amount from this storm,” Parker said in the forecast video.
Five to eight inches of snow is expected to fall in northern Maine, and up to three inches is expected in most areas.
“Most of the I-95 corridor, it's raining. It's whenever you're in higher elevations like the Appalachians that we see — more of those snowfalls,” Parker added.
Despite little snow and rain in the forecast, a few areas of the country are expected to experience dangerous weather on New Year's Day that could delay holidaymakers.
“Apart from the Great Lakes, most of the country looks absolutely fantastic. It will be weather-free,” Weather Channel meteorologist Ari Sarsalaris said.
The East Coast
Those heading to Boston, New York and Washington for New Year's celebrations can breathe a sigh of relief as only one to two inches of rain is expected in the area through Saturday.
New Year's Eve is not expected to be a washout as a weak ridge forms in the northeast, bringing dry conditions, FOX Weather meteorologist Stephen Morgan said.
However, inland areas from West Virginia to Pittsburgh to Buffalo may experience a mix of rain and snow while the coast remains clear.
“There will be a corridor from Connecticut to Jersey, maybe even closer to Delmarva, where this rain is being boosted by a coastal low,” he said.
“Don't be fooled by that — these next three days — because in New York, things are going to get better,” he continued.
“We are dealing with cloudy, somewhat gloomy conditions followed by rain but, overall, we will see things dry out for the New Year.”
Spots of snow are expected to reach Bangor, Maine by Friday night, while areas south of the city can expect rain.
Hodgdon, a rural town that borders Canada and the US, is forecast to receive up to eight inches of snow.
Midwest
The powerful storm, which wreaked havoc across the central US with icy grip and blizzard conditions last week, will bring snow to much of the Midwest this coming weekend.
In fact, snow was already falling in Indianapolis, Indiana, from Thursday morning to Friday morning, as announced by the National Weather Service.
“Light snow showers continue early this morning, mostly across Western and Southwest Indiana along the IL border,” the office wrote in a social media post.
“Local accumulations of an inch to two inches are possible, mainly on grassy and elevated surfaces,” the bureau wrote, adding that “widespread travel hazards are unlikely.”
“Watch out for patchy slick spots and some snowy roads. Temperatures are expected to rise above freezing after sunrise,” officials warned Friday morning.
Missouri is facing a similar situation as St. Louis residents woke up to a blanket of snow on Friday with the streets still wet and white.
Snowfall is expected to reduce to flurries in the afternoon hours, gradually from north to south. The sky will remain cloudy and further clearing is expected on Saturday. FOX weather mentionted.
South
In the Southeast and Southwest, Mother Nature appears to be taking a break, with most areas remaining cold but clearing Saturday night.
A mix of rain and snow will fall from Nashville and the surrounding Middle Tennessee area as the region is expected to see its first winter weather.
“We are still on track to see a light rain/snow mix starting tonight and continuing into Friday before ending early Saturday,” the NWS said Thursday afternoon.
However, most of the region has a very small chance of seeing accumulating snow and will see the clouds clear by Saturday night.
North Alabama and Georgia may also see some snow as temperatures drop to 20 degrees below normal.
Apart from the cold temperatures, most areas in the region are expected to be dry and clear on Saturday night.
On New Year's Day, “a couple of showers will go down along the Gulf Coast, New Orleans, Mobile and places like that,” Sarsalari said.
“You might check some of your flights, but I think for the most part you should be fine even in this situation,” he added.
The West Coast
Most of the weather problems will occur along the California coast, bringing travel headaches for those heading to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
On Friday, coastal flooding and waves of up to 30 feet are expected, with a high surf warning in effect for the coastal area until Saturday.
High surf warnings have been issued for more than six million people in the region after massive waves hit California on Thursday.
Waves could range from 28 to 33 feet and up to 40 feet in some locations, the National Weather Service said in a flash bulletin, adding that there were reports of flooding in low-lying coastal areas.
Forecasters urged people to stay away from rocks and jetties and not to turn their backs on the ocean because of the danger of “shoe waves” – occasionally much larger waves that can run far out onto the sand and wash someone off the beach.
Conditions could worsen over the weekend as the storm system moves in from the Pacific, particularly in southern California, where San Diego is expected to see the highest surf on Saturday.
Conditions near San Francisco are expected to improve early Friday, while Los Angeles is subject to flash flood and coastal flooding warnings until 10 p.m. Saturday.
“Everyone should stay out of the water due to life-threatening surf conditions. Stay away from jetties, piers and other waterside infrastructure,” the NWS urged.
