Millions of Americans in the Southeast are bracing for another winter storm - this one developing into a major nor'easter that will "bomb out" as is charges north over the Atlantic Ocean. The FOX Forecast Center says a powerful low pressure area will form just off the coast of the Carolinas on Saturday. This coastal storm will drop heavy snow over the Carolinas and blast the coast with tropical storm-force winds. The dangerously strong winds are expected to lash the coast, kicking up huge waves, triggering coastal flooding, and eroding vulnerable beaches.
The FOX Forecast Center says this weekend's nor'easter will track too far away from the coast to drop snow America's heavily-populated Interstate 95 corridor. New York, Philadelphia, and Washington may see a few flurries on Sunday, but accumulating snow is unlikely.
{{#rendered}}
While most of the Northeast misses out on this weekend's powerful nor'easter, a peninsula sticking out into the Atlantic will not. Stretching far into the Atlantic, Cape Cod acts as a lightning rod for coastal systems, often experiencing the worst winds and intense snow from storms.
The FOX Forecast Center says it expects this weekend's nor'easter to brush by Cape Cod, dropping 5-8 inches of snow on the area. Intense winds are predicted to lash the coast, too. Gusts to near 50 mph are likely.
NASA has decided to delay the launch of Artemis II as dangerously cold air invades the Sunshine State. According to the agency's website, NASA is targeting Monday, February 2, as the tanking day for the upcoming Artemis II wet dress rehearsal at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The first potential opportunity to launch is no earlier than Sunday, February 8.
Managers have assessed hardware capabilities against the projected forecast given the rare arctic outbreak affecting the state and decided to change the timeline.
NASA says a launch date will be set pending the outcome of the dress rehearsal. Originally, Saturday, February 6 and Sunday, February 7 were considered viable opportunities for launch.
Right now, the Artemis II crew remains in quarantine in Houston and NASA says managers are assessing the timeline for crew arrival.
Clouds are increasing over the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill this morning ahead of this weekend's nor'easter. The storm is expected to drop 5-8 inches of snow on the Piedmont area of the state through Sunday.
According to the school's website, there are no alerts in effect for students at this time. The school canceled classes earlier in the week following the historic winter storm that slammed the eastern U.S.
{{#rendered}}The Tar Heel State is bracing for one of the biggest snowstorms in recent memory. More than a half foot of snow is expected with powerful winds that could top 60 mph. Winds that intense often only come from a nearby tropical storm or hurricane, but this weekend's ferocious gusts will come from a nor'easter.
A nor'easter is simply a coastal storm (often off America's East Coast) that produces northeast winds. North Carolina's Outer Banks are often enjoyed for their white sand. That sand will be coated in snow this weekend - and it could bring a whole new meaning to the phase "blizzard beach."
The combination of heavy snow and strong winds could produce a blizzard on the beaches of North Carolina late Saturday into Sunday. A blizzard is defined by heavy snow falling or blowing that drops visibility to less than one quarter mile with 35+ mph winds for at least 3 consecutive hours. That's exactly what Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, Rodanthe, and Hatteras Island could experience this weekend.
New York and Boston were hit hard by last weekend's monster winter storm, so the thought of another big snowstorm sends shivers down the backs of a region already pushed to the brink by back-to-back storms.
Fortunately for big cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, this weekend's nor'easter will not have a significant impact. That means road crews can continue work to clear away last weekend's snow that remains piled up wherever they can stash it.
Any meteorologist will tell you that the East Coast's biggest snowstorms come in the form of an old-fashioned nor'easter. Low pressure develops off the East Coast and charges north, spreading heavy snow to areas along the coast. This is how the heavily-populated Interstate 95 corridor gets its big snows.
So why won't this weekend's storm deliver blockbuster totals? Forecasters use something called the "benchmark" to help them determine whether or not the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic will get blasted by heavy snow. The benchmark is the so-called "40/70 benchmark," located at 40 degrees north latitude and 70 degrees west longitude. For reference, that's some 80 miles south of Massachusetts' Nantucket Island.
When a low-pressure system hits the "40/70 benchmark"—that meteorological sweet spot off the coast—and meets deep sub-polar air, the result is often a regional blockbuster. This precise path is the DNA of a true East Coast legend; it’s the same track used by the historic Blizzard of '96 to bury the I-95 corridor, from D.C. to Boston, under feet of snow.
North Georgia is bracing for snow just days after a historic winter storm coated the region in snow and ice. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for portions of North Georgia where as much as 5 inches of snow is expected to fall this weekend. Atlanta could see up to an inch of snow and the National Weather Service has placed the city under a Winter Weather Advisory.
{{#rendered}}The FOX Forecast Center just released an updated snow forecast for this weekend's nor'easter. At this point, FOX Weather meteorologists say everything is on track to deliver heavy snow to portions of the Southeast. Up to a foot of snow is still expected over eastern North Carolina, with light snow extending as far south as Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia.
A blast of record cold air will surge south into Florida this weekend, bringing what could be the coldest temperatures the state has seen in 16 to as many as 37 years. Freezing temperatures will reach all the way into South Florida and record low temperatures are expected both Sunday and Monday mornings. Combined with
Another blast of arctic air is sweeping across the eastern half of America this morning. Air temperatures are in the single digits and many major cities are feeling subzero wind chills right now. This dangerously cold air will help spin up the nor'easter off the Eastern Seaboard later today and this weekend. An upper-level disturbance coming along with the cold will help spark the nor'easter's development, while the cold air will ensure everything that falls from the storm will fall as snow.
{{#rendered}}This weekend's nor'easter won't just drop heavy snow on North Carolina. It will pack a punch with 60 mph winds roaring in off the Atlantic Ocean. Those winds will push water inland and trigger coastal flooding. The National Weather Service has issued a Coastal Flood Warning for the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Hatteras Island in anticipation of the rising water.
The warning calls for 2 to 4 feet of inundation above ground level in some areas near shorelines and tidal waterways, which could lead to property damage. NWS Newport/Morehead City says flooding will extend inland from the waterfront threatening some homes and businesses. Numerous road closures and flooding of vehicles will be possible. It also warns that portions of Highway 12 may be inundated.
The Outer Banks of North Carolina and coastal communities are bracing for heavy snow from this weekend's nor'easter. FOX Weather is calling for 8-12 inches of snow to fall in eastern North Carolina from New Bern to Nags Head. This area also faces dangerous winds up to 60 mph as the storm rapidly intensifies, which could create blizzard conditions on the Outer Banks. Those winds will also increase the risk of beach erosion and will push ocean water inland, triggering coastal flooding.
Last weekend's historic winter storm forced Amtrak to cancel trains and reduce service throughout the East after heavy snow and ice covered its tracks. Now five days later, it is still struggling to get back on track.
In an early morning post on X, Amtrak announced it was canceling 13 high-speed Acela trains for Friday due to "equipment unavailability." Additional posts reveal more than 30 trains have been canceled so far today in the Northeast Corridor.
On Thursday evening, Amtrak posted an update to its website saying "Our teams are working diligently to restore service to normal operations."
Customers may experience delays, and additional service adjustments or cancellations may still be necessary through this weekend up to and possibly including Monday, February 2nd.
The update goes on to say that crews are actively inspecting tracks, equipment, and infrastructure to ensure a safe return to normal service.
{{#rendered}}On Thursday, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein issued a new State of Emergency to ensure his state qualifies if federal assistance is needed to respond or recover from the weekend nor'easter. The declaration also activated the State Emergency Response Team ahead of the storm’s arrival.
Heavy snow will hammer the Piedmont region across North Carolina this weekend. The FOX Forecast Center says 5-8" of snow is expected to fall in the Raleigh-Durham area and surrounding communities. Combined with strong winds, the snow will make driving hazardous at times, particularly late Saturday into early Sunday.
{{#rendered}}The latest snow forecast from FOX Weather still calls for 8-12 inches of snow to clobber the Carolinas, particularly in eastern North Carolina and the Outer Banks.
The FOX Forecast Center is analyzing new computer forecast model data right now in order to update this forecast. We'll post it as soon as it's ready.
With this weekend's nor'easter just hours away from clobbering the Carolinas with heavy snow and dangerous winds, the National Weather Service has issued Winter Storm Warnings for more than 20 million people. The warnings cover all of North Carolina, much of South Carolina, southern Virginia, eastern Tennessee, and portions of North Georgia.
You can go back and see how the forecast has evolved with live updates from Thursday's coverage.
Click here to see the minute-by-minute updates from FOX Weather.
{{#rendered}}Live Coverage begins here