Right now, a nor'easter is developing off America's East Coast and will rapidly intensify into a powerful bomb cyclone this weekend. As governors in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia declare states of emergency, the storm's core will lash the Carolinas with hurricane-force gusts and heavy snow. State leaders across the Southeast are telling people to stay home until conditions improve.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation says its crews are working around the clock to clear roads from this weekend's nor'easter. With snow picking up in intensity, state leaders are asking everyone to stay off the roads and let the plows do their work.
{{#rendered}}With winds now whipping up along the North Carolina coast, flooding becomes a big concern for the people near the water. A Coastal Flood Warning is in effect for the Outer Banks and Hatteras Island where 2 to 4 feet of inundation above ground level is expected in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways. The warning is in effect through Sunday.
That water rise will increase the threat of property damage. Flooding is expected to extend inland from the waterfront threatening some homes and businesses. Numerous road closures and flooding of vehicles will be possible. Ocean overwash may lead to inundation of vulnerable portions of the coast, especially around times of high tides. And portions of Highway 12 could become inundated and impassable at times of high tides.
The FOX Forecast Center is closely monitoring the snow falling across North Georgia right now. Computer forecast model guidance has trended forecast snow amounts upward in the last 24 hours, with up to 5 inches expected along the South Carolina border. Atlanta isn't missing out either - an inch or two of powdery snow is predicted to pile up in the metro area.
{{#rendered}}Most of North Georgia, including the Atlanta Metro area, is under a Winter Storm Warning as the powerful coastal storm sends snow flying across the Southeast. Weatherstem cameras in the Atlanta metro area show the snow falling with temperatures in the 20s. The snow is expected to add up quickly with the freezing temperatures throughout the region.
The storm is actively "bombing out" off the Carolina coast now with winds steadily increasing along the Carolinas coastline. FOX Weather meteorologists say hurricane-force gusts reaching 60 to 80 mph are possible as the storm undergoes rapid intensification today into tonight.
{{#rendered}}The nor'easter is severely disrupting U.S. air travel as it intensifies into a bomb cyclone off the Southeast coast. Data from FlightAware shows that over 9,400 U.S. flights are already delayed or canceled due to the storm's impact since Friday.
Major carriers are proactively slashing schedules to prioritize safety, with Delta Airlines cutting approximately 16% of its schedule at key hubs. Critical hubs such as Charlotte (CLT) and Raleigh-Durham (RDU) face near-total shutdowns this weekend as heavy snow overwhelms de-icing and snow removal capacities. Significant schedule adjustments are underway at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL), where even minor snow amounts can lead to major cancellations due to limited winter infrastructure.
Delta, American, Southwest, and United are just a few of the major airlines currently offering flexible travel waivers for dozens of cities, allowing passengers to rebook weekend flights without change fees or fare differences. Even after conditions improve, delays are expected to persist through Monday as airlines work to return aircraft and crews to their proper positions.
{{#rendered}}To get the most accurate snow total, skip the grass and find a flat, level surface away from buildings and wind-swept drifts. Use a sturdy ruler to measure straight down to the base, taking several samples across your yard to calculate a true average. For the best results during long storms, clear your "snow board" every six hours to prevent the weight of new flakes from compacting your totals.
{{#rendered}}The FOX Forecast Center says the nor'easter is developing right now. Analysis shows pressures dropping off the Carolinas coastline, a sign that low pressure is forming. As this intensifies rapidly in the hours ahead, the snow and wind will increase across the region.
It turns out that for Cape Cod, Massachusetts the "snow-pocalypse" is looking more like a "snow-maybe." While the Carolinas are getting buried, the forecast for the Cape has hit a snag.
The primary culprit for the shrinking snow totals is a classic offshore track shift. Nor'easters are notorious for being "games of miles," and this storm has decided to take a more easterly route than originally feared. The FOX Forecast Center says current data shows the storm center tracking farther out into the Atlantic. In the weather world, a shift of just 50 miles is the difference between "shoveling for hours" and "barely needing a broom."
And that's partly thanks to a stubborn area of dry high pressure over interior New England acting like a defensive wall. It’s pushing back against the storm’s moisture shield, keeping the heaviest snow bands suppressed to the south and east—leaving most of the Cape on the "wrong side" of the action.
While the snow totals are being downgraded, don't put away the winter gear just yet. Even if the snow "busts," the storm is still a bomb cyclone. This means wicked winds with gusts of 40–60 mph, which can feel just as intense without the snow. And the wind direction is shifting from North to Northwest, which will still push water into vulnerable eastern-facing shorelines during high tide.
Early Sunday morning, Tampa, Florida could witness rare light snow or flurries because of a staggering temperature contrast; while Gulf waters remain in the 60s, the air temperature at cloud level (roughly 5,000 feet up) is forecast to be nearly 40 degrees colder.
If these narrow bands of "Gulf-effect" precipitation move onshore while surface temperatures in Tampa hover near the freezing mark, the moisture will fall as snow before it has a chance to melt. While accumulation is not expected, any visible flakes would mark a historic event for a city that hasn't seen flakes fly in 16 years.
"Gulf-effect snow" is a rare meteorological phenomenon that mirrors the "lake-effect" snow common in the Great Lakes region. It occurs when a powerful arctic air mass surges southward over the relatively warm waters of the Gulf. As the freezing air passes over the water, it picks up heat and moisture, which rises rapidly to form narrow, intense bands of convective clouds. When the prevailing winds—steered by the nor'easter currently off the Atlantic coast—shift to the west or northwest, they push these moisture-laden bands inland toward the Florida peninsula.
{{#rendered}}{{#rendered}}{{#rendered}}A historic arctic blast is currently gripping the eastern United States, with a lobe of the polar vortex pushing dangerously cold temperatures as far south as Florida. More than 185 million Americans are waking up under some type of cold weather alert.
Dangerously low wind chills, expected to dip between -5°F and -10°F across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, have prompted widespread Extreme Cold Warnings and Cold Weather Advisories through the weekend. This record-setting "deep freeze" is not only challenging century-old daily lows in cities like Pittsburgh and Miami but also threatens to keep major metros like New York, Washington, and Philadelphia below freezing for over a week—one of the longest such stretches in decades.
The FOX Forecast Center is tracking the snow increasing across eastern North Carolina and the Outer Banks right now. Radar shows the snow picking up in coverage and intensity this morning as the nor'easter develops.
The FOX Forecast Center says this weekend's nor'easter remains on track to dump heavy snow across the Carolinas. Up to a foot of snow could fall in portions of the Southeast as a powerful nor'easter bombs out along the East Coast of the U.S.
One notable change this morning: a drop in snow amounts across central North Carolina. Forecasters say a "dry slot" will reduce the snow in this part of the Carolinas. Raleigh, North Carolina may end up with just a few inches of snow, while places to the west and east pick up significantly more.
{{#rendered}}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. This pushes the first potential opportunity to launch to 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.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation says it is ready to tackle whatever Mother Nature brings this weekend. In a post on X, it reminded residents that plows operate on scheduled, priority-based routes.
They're also reminding North Carolinians that if sustained wind speeds reach 35 mph or greater, their plows cannot operate. The FOX Forecast Center says wind speeds up to 70 mph are expected in eastern North Carolina late Saturday into Sunday, which could suspend plowing efforts.
{{#rendered}}While this weekend's nor'easter is poised to bring widespread heavy snow to the Southeast, a specific meteorological phenomenon known as a dry slot could leave Raleigh and central North Carolina with significantly lower totals than neighboring regions.
A dry slot is a region of clear, dry air that is pulled into a strengthening low-pressure system from the mid-to-upper levels of the atmosphere. In a nor'easter, this dry air typically originates from the southwest and wraps around the southern and eastern sides of the storm's center.
When this dry air infiltrates the system, it acts like a wedge, evaporating moisture before it can reach the ground as snow. If the dry slot positions itself directly over the Triangle, it would essentially shut off the snow engine, "busting" the snow original snow forecast for this area.
The only factor that could save Raleigh's snow totals is if the upper-level trough remains sharp enough to force the moisture to wrap further inland, filling in the dry slot. However, as of Saturday morning, the trend in high-resolution modeling favors the dry air intrusion as the storm moves into its most intense phase.
{{#rendered}}The FOX Forecast Center says the nor'easter has begun its rapid intensification off the Southeast coast. Wind speeds are steadily increasing across North and South Carolina this morning. Right now, sustained winds range from 10-25 mph along the coast with gusts nearing 40 mph.
{{#rendered}}Light snow is falling across central and western South Carolina right now. That snow is starting to add up and will make roads slick as the morning progresses.
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Millions of Americans are waking up to life-threatening cold air this morning. Air temperatures are in the single digits and teens across the Northeast and Great Lakes, while wind chills are near 0°F. Exposure to this extreme cold can result in hypothermia and frostbite within 30 minutes.
{{#rendered}}Forecasters say this weekend's nor'easter will pack a punch when it comes to wind. The storm system responsible for all the snow in the Southeast will rapidly intensify over the Atlantic Ocean in the hours ahead. This rapid strengthening will produce powerful winds, particularly at the coast. High Wind Warnings and Wind Advisories are up for coastal Virginia and North Carolina. Occasional wind gusts to 70 mph are expected, but the FOX Forecast Center says hurricane-force wind gusts to 75 mph are likely, too.
For the second weekend in a row, U.S. airlines are being forced to cancel hundreds of flights due to wintry weather. This weekend's nor'easter will dump heavy snow on the Carolinas and as far south as Atlanta, home to one of the world's busiest airports. Data from FlightAware shows more than 570 flights have been canceled at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport so far today. In total, more than 8,500 U.S. flights have been disrupted (delayed or canceled) since Friday.
Radar reveals snow starting to break out across North Carolina. Most of this is light snow, but the intensity will pick up through the morning as the nor'easter gets going off the coast.
{{#rendered}}You can go back and see how the forecast has evolved with live updates from Friday's coverage.
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