Winter storm warning for 12 states amid ‘life-threatening’ cold snap

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued winter storm warnings for 12 states in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with extreme cold temperatures and up to 12 inches of snow forecast.

In addition, a blast of cold Arctic air continues to push into other areas of the country, with extreme cold warnings affecting millions of people in the Northern Plains and Rockies and the Upper Midwest, where the NWS is predicting “life-threatening” chills as low as 55 degrees Fahrenheit below zero.

Why it matters

Snow can disrupt travel and create dangerous driving conditions, while winter storms can cause power outages.

Additionally, exposure to freezing wind chills can be life-threatening, with expected temperatures cold enough to cause hypothermia and frostbite on exposed skin in less than 10 minutes.

What to know

A map released by the NWS shows the warnings and watches currently in place. Pink means a winter storm warning is in place and purple means a storm warning is in place. Dark blue means an extreme cold warning and sky blue means a cold weather warning.

Winter storm

Storm warnings, shaded pink on the map, are in place for coastal Maine, southern New Hampshire, southern Vermont, all of Massachusetts and Connecticut, southern New York, northern New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, northern Maryland, Washington DC, all West Virginia, and in southwestern Virginia, western North Carolina, and eastern Kentucky.

The warnings are in place until Monday morning. While the forecast varies by county, the worst-hit area is expected to be Connecticut and Massachusetts, where 8 to 10 inches of snow accumulation is possible.

Storm conditions are expected to be so intense that Donald Trump decided to move his inauguration inside the Capitol Rotunda on Monday, saying he did not want “to see people hurt or injured in any way.” It will be the first time since Ronald Reagan was sworn in for a second term in 1985 that a presidential inauguration will not be held on the west front of the Capitol.

The NWS urges residents in affected areas to limit travel during severe weather and to bring emergency supplies such as flashlights, food and water. Motorists should prepare for sudden changes in visibility, snow storms and icy roads.

Extreme cold

Extreme cold warnings, dark blue on the map, have been issued in 15 states.

Alongside the winter storm, freezing temperatures are forecast for southern Pennsylvania, southern West Virginia, western Virginia, western North Carolina, northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama, with wind chills as low as 25 degrees below zero. These warnings are in effect until midday on Wednesday.

The Great Plains and Rockies and Upper Midwest will experience devastating wind chills as low as 55 degrees below zero, which the NWS describes as “life-threatening” and capable of causing frostbite on exposed skin in less than 10 minutes. These warnings are in effect until Tuesday noon.

The affected areas are southeastern Idaho, western Montana, northwestern, northeastern, and southeastern North Dakota, northeastern South Dakota, northwestern Nebraska, eastern Wyoming, northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The wind chill temperature is how cold people and animals feel when they are outside in the elements. While the actual temperature in an area may be warmer, wind chill temperatures are based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by wind and cold. As the wind increases, it draws heat from the body, which drives the skin temperature down and eventually the internal body temperature, making it feel colder than it is outside.

What’s next

The duration of the winter storm and extreme cold warnings varies by state, so please check with the NWS. Newsweek will keep you updated.