- Major disruptions to travel with the storm are expected over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend.
- Ice will be a particular concern with the storm in parts of the Carolinas. Meanwhile, Atlanta could see its first measurable snowfall in four years.
- The last stops for the storm will be the mid-Atlantic and northeast after it makes a sharp turn to the north-northeast on Sunday and Monday.
A winter storm began dumping snow across the upper Midwest on Friday as it moved south and eventually up the East Coast, promising weekend weather havoc for millions.
As of Friday afternoon, more than 60 million Americans were under some level of winter weather alert, according to the National Metereological Service. Alerts spread from North Dakota to southern Georgia and as far as New England.
Major travel disruptions with the storm are expected over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, AccuWeather said.
The storm is known as “screamer by saskatchewanAccuWeather said, since it originated in that Canadian province. Meanwhile, the Weather Channel has dubbed it “Winter Storm Izzy.”
After sweeping across the upper Midwest on Friday with up to a foot of snow in some areas, the storm is forecast to dip into the South on Saturday and into Sunday, spreading snow in cities like Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee. , and Charlotte, North Carolina. .
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Memphis is forecast to see up to 3 inches of snow, while Nashville could see up to 5 inches, the weather service said.
Atlanta is also in the path of the storm, which could end the city’s nearly four-year streak without measurable snow.
Ice will be a particular concern with the storm in parts of the Carolinas. TO weather service forecast office in South Carolina said “power outages and tree damage are likely due to ice. Travel could be nearly impossible. Also, strong gusts of wind can add further stress to ice-covered trees.”
The storm’s last stops will be the mid-Atlantic and northeast after it makes a sharp turn to the north-northeast along the eastern seaboard on Sunday and into Monday.
Heavy snow is forecast to hit parts of the region, especially Appalachia and the interior Northeast, with up to 18 inches of snow by the time the storm ends Monday night.
The best chance for heavy snow is expected north and west of the Boston-Washington Interstate 95 corridor, from parts of northern Virginia to Maine, Time.com saying.
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Virginia and Georgia declare states of emergency
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency on the Friday before the winter storm, which he said would bring a significant amount of ice, freezing rain, sleet and two- to five-inch snowfall to the state.
In Virginia, Governor Ralph Northam also declared a state of emergency on Friday as the storm approached. State police are warning people to avoid traveling over the holiday weekend because of the storm, just days after a the previous storm brought traffic to a standstill on part of Interstate 95.
State police are preparing for this latest round of winter weather and will have every available trooper on patrol to respond as quickly as possible to traffic accidents, emergencies and disabled motorists, according to a statement.
Virginia state officials came under intense criticism after a winter storm last week. Many motorists reported receiving little assistance while stuck in a traffic jam on I-95, which authorities say started after a commercial vehicle rolled over.
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Winter Storm Preparedness Checklist
The National Weather Service recommends that you keep the following items in your car if you travel:
- Mobile phone, charger, batteries
- blankets/sleeping bags
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- First aid box
- Knife
- High-calorie and non-perishable foods
- Extra clothing to keep dry
- Large empty can for use as emergency toilet, tissues, toilet paper and paper towels
- Small can and waterproof matches to melt snow for drinking water
- Bag of sand or kitty litter for traction
- Shovel
- Windshield scraper and brush
- Toolbox
- tow rope
- Battery booster cables
- Water container
- Candles and matches to provide light and, in an emergency, heat to save lives.
- Compass and road maps, don’t depend on mobile devices with limited battery life
Contributing: The Associated Press
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism