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US winter storm map: 'More intense' system on the way? Here are the states at risk
Parts of the US may face hazardous winter weather this weekend, with renewed threats of ice and snow affecting the South and East.
Parts of the United States may face another round of hazardous winter weather this weekend, even as communities continue to recover from the destruction caused by Winter Storm Fern.
Updated forecast maps show a renewed threat of ice and snow across large portions of the South, Southeast and Eastern Seaboard.
Fresh ice threat after deadly Winter Storm Fern
The latest outlook comes just days after Winter Storm Fern battered wide swaths of the country with heavy snow ice.
The storm has been linked to at least nine deaths, while hundreds of thousands of residents remain without electricity as extreme cold keeps power lines and roads locked in ice, according to Newsweek.
Also Read: Winter storm warning issued for 19 states as powerful system brings heavy snow, ice: See full list
Extreme cold warnings and winter weather advisories are still active across parts of the South and Southeast.
AccuWeather meteorologists say the lingering cold could worsen the impact of any new storm system expected later this week.
13 states flagged for potential ice impacts
According to an AccuWeather forecast published Sunday local time, ice accumulation is possible across at least 13 states between January 30 and February 1.
The areas at risk include Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.
Meteorologists say while additional snow may continue across parts of the Midwest and Northeast through Tuesday, the primary concern farther south is ice rather than snowfall.
The forecast also suggests the system could push wintry conditions as far south as the Interstate 10 corridor, driven by what AccuWeather describes as “abundant cold.”
Also Read: When and how much snow is expected in NYC? Latest winter storm forecast amid State of Emergency
Forecast uncertainty remains
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines cautioned that the outlook is still evolving. “The overall weather pattern does favor some kind of a storm, at least close to the eastern part of the US late in the week,” Kines told Newsweek, adding that details such as timing and ice amounts remain uncertain.
Kines noted that if a storm does develop, it may not directly hit the same locations hardest impacted by Fern. Instead, areas along the Eastern Seaboard “anywhere from Georgia north” could be most exposed.
In a separate forecast update, AccuWeather outlined two possible storm tracks for the weekend, including one scenario described as “more intense” that could bring snow into parts of the Southeast. Forecasters said that both paths remain under review as models continue to shift.
Even without another major storm, the aftermath of Fern is expected to linger. “A deep freeze settling in after the storm could rapidly turn power outages, blocked roads and delayed emergency response into life-threatening emergencies,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist John Feerick warned in a statement.
Feerick added that thick ice has slowed restoration efforts and warned that heating bills could run up to 35 percent higher than normal for millions of Americans this month.
