One of the worst winter storms to hit the United States in years is developing right now. More than a foot of snow is forecast to bury some states, while freezing rain and sleet are expected to grind travel to a halt and knock out power to thousands of people. This colossal winter storm starts its 2,000+ mile journey in the Plains today and will reach America's East Coast by Sunday. Cities such as New York, Washington, Atlanta, and Dallas are gearing up for what is expected to be an extreme winter storm that will deliver a one-two punch of snow/ice and life-threatening cold air.
The FOX Forecast Center says the big upper-level low that will help fuel this massive winter storm is on its way. Water vapor satellite imagery, which shows how much moisture there is in the atmosphere, shows the big upper low off the coast of Baja California. That low will eject across the Southwest and meet up with another piece of upper-level energy from Canada to produce intense snow and ice later today, lasting through the weekend.
Arctic air currently over the Upper Midwest will charge into the Northeast later today. By Saturday morning, wind chills (feels like temperature) will dip below zero in most major cities across the region.
{{#rendered}}A massive winter storm is about to unleash incredible amounts of snow across America. The FOX Forecast Center's newest snow forecast shows no big changes this morning. Significant snow will pile up from the Plains to the Northeast over the next three days. We'll be posting regional maps of the snow forecast over the next few hours.
There are growing concerns this morning that freezing rain will lead to a catastrophic ice storm across parts of the South. The newest ice forecast from the FOX Forecast Center shows portions of Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi could see more than .75" of ice. That much ice would make travel impossible and lead to widespread, long-lasting power outages. There's also considerable concern for major icing from North Georgia to Virginia.
{{#rendered}}Wind chill temperature is how cold you actually feel when outside. It's based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by wind and cold. Our skin is surrounded by a layer of warmth that hugs our body on a normal day. But when we're exposed to wind, the layer of warm air is carried away. From there, our bodies have to work significantly harder to maintain an adequate temperature.
If the air temperature is 0°F and the wind is blowing at 15 mph, the wind chill is -19°F. Experts say skin can freeze in just 30 minutes at this wind chill. According to the National Weather Service, wind chill temperature uses advances in science, technology, and computer modeling to provide an accurate, understandable, and useful formula for calculating the dangers from winter winds and freezing temperatures.
Looking to calculate it at home? Here's the equation.
Wind chill (ºF) = 35.74 + 0.6215T - 35.75(V^0.16) + 0.4275T(V^0.16)
T = Air Temperature (F)
V = Wind Speed (mph)
^ = raised to a power (exponential)
Extreme Cold Warnings and Cold Weather Advisories are in effect for 185 million people right now - and it's easy to see why. Actual air temperatures are below zero from Chicago to Minneapolis, but it's the wind that is causing all the commotion. Gusty winds from the northwest are pushing wind chills (feels like temperature) as low as -50°F this morning in the Midwest.
FOX Weather's snow forecast shows the immense size of this winter storm. More than 2,000 miles of snow is expected to fall from Arizona to Maine over the weekend. And it could be enough to make it into the history books. With more than a foot of snow predicted in Oklahoma and across New York, this will be one of the worst snowstorms in years for some spots. And it may be enough to set records - stay tuned.
{{#rendered}}{{#rendered}}School districts across several states have told students not to show up today due to the dangerously cold weather and snow expected. Chicago Public Schools, Milwaukee Public Schools, and Des Moines Public Schools have canceled all Friday classes, while Atlanta Public Schools have canceled all weekend events. Hundreds of districts throughout the eastern half of the nation have also canceled classes and/or are rescheduling weekend activities.
It will be unsafe for staff and students to travel to school.
With wind chills expected to reach -35°F today in and around Chicago, school officials aren't taking any chances. On Thursday, Chicago Public Schools announced all classes were canceled for Friday, and all after-school programming would be canceled, too.
CPS is asking parents to not send students to school today, as there will not be adults to receive them. The statement goes on to say that classes will resume for all students on Monday, January 26.
{{#rendered}}America is facing one of the worst winter storms in years. Snow and ice are expected to hit 40 states through Monday, a massive footprint across America. More than 235 million Americans are facing brutal winter weather conditions as the storm barrels east.
The FOX Forecast Center is busy working on brand new snow and ice forecasts. New computer forecast model data from overnight is going into those forecasts, providing the most accurate look at where the heaviest snow and ice will accumulate. As soon as those maps are ready, we'll post them here.
America's massive winter storm is about to start up. We are now just a few hours away from the first snowflakes flying in the nation's midsection. Snow and a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet, and snow will start to fall across New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma as the storm develops.
{{#rendered}}Airports are ready for the expected snow and ice, preparing snow removal equipment and deicing trucks to keep planes moving. But the storm will grind operations at dozens of major hubs from the Midwest to the East Coast to a halt, forcing airlines to adjust schedules and cancel flights. Most major airlines have already issued travel waivers ahead of the storm, eliminating change fees for those affected by flight disruptions.
Data from FlightAware shows airlines were busy late Thursday - canceling nearly 1,800 flights for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. That number is predicted to increase significantly as the snow and ice begin to pile up. If you are traveling this weekend, have a backup plan in case your flight is canceled.
You can go back and see how the forecast for this winter storm has evolved with our live coverage from Thursday.
Live Coverage begins here