Snow blankets the city in this aerial drone photograph in Buffalo, New York, on December 25, 2022.
Joed Viera | Afp | Getty Images
Much of the eastern half of the United States is bracing for severe weather this weekend, with “life-threatening” flash flooding possible in parts of the Southeast and significant snow set to blanket the Upper Midwest through to New England.
The heaviest snowfall — with possible totals in the double digits — is expected in Michigan, upstate New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, northern Massachusetts and the interior of Maine, according to the National Weather Service.
The NWS warned early Saturday that severe flash flooding is likely in the Ohio and Tennessee valleys, particularly in parts of Kentucky and Tennessee.
Around 21 million people are under some measure of flood alert from Arkansas to Pennsylvania.
Widespread and intense thunderstorms are expected to move over the region through the day, dropping up to 6 inches of rain in some places and isolated totals of up to 8 inches.
“The greatest risk for this intense rainfall prompting life-threatening flash flooding will be across portions of northwestern Tennessee and western Kentucky, where a High Risk of Excessive Rainfall (level 4/4) is in effect,” the weather service said in its short-range forecast discussion.
In addition to flooding, there is also a risk of thunderstorms and strong tornadoes in portions of the lower Mississippi Valley, according to the National Weather Service.
A broad area of rain and thunderstorms will persist across the mid-Atlantic and Southeast through the weekend, with isolated risks of heavy precipitation and flash flooding.
Meanwhile, farther north, moderate to heavy snowfall is expected from the Upper Midwest into the Great Lakes and New England. Around 70 million people on Saturday are under winter weather alerts or warnings from Nebraska to Maine.
A mix of sleet and freezing rain is expected across much of the Northeast, making for challenging driving conditions.
“The greatest chances for significant ice accumulations from freezing rain are in the interior Northeast,” the NWS’ Weather Prediction Center said in an advisory posted on X. “Some locations are likely to see enough icing to cause power outages.”
The storm is expected to intensify in the Northeast late Saturday into Sunday.
“Increasingly strong and gusty winds may also lead to periods of blowing snow and very difficult travel conditions,” the weather service said.
By early next week, forecasts show rain and snow moving off the East Coast, but blustery winds will likely keep cold air over much of the eastern half of the country.
