Travel warning issued as ‘catastrophic’ winter storm takes aim at 19 states
The 19 states in winter storm’s path as US braces for dangerous snow and ice
- A dangerous winter storm is forecast to impact an estimated 100 million people across the United States this week, from New Mexico to the Carolinas and up the East Coast.
- Parts of at least 19 states in the storm’s path were under winter storm watches by late Wednesday, with more watches and warnings expected as the system approaches.
- The states include Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.
- Expected to begin Friday and continue through the weekend, the storm will bring heavy snow, freezing rain, and sleet, with potential for over a foot of snow in major I-95 corridor cities like Washington, D.C., and Boston.
- Southern states, including parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Tennessee, face the risk of crippling ice accumulation of half an inch or more, which could cause widespread and prolonged power outages.