Heavy Snow

Destructive Ice

Tornadoes

Bitter Cold

The Weather Channel

by Tim Ballisty, Editorial Meteorologist

A multi-day, multi-region potentially historic and destructive winter storm will unleash its fury beginning Monday and will last through Wednesday.

When everything is said and done, the storm may very well impact a third of the population of the United States; approximately 100 million people.

Its reach will be felt from the Front Range of the Colorado Rockies to the Ohio Valley to the coast of New England.

Accompanied with the winter storm will be a severe thunderstorm threat across the South capable of producing damaging winds, hail and a few tornadoes.

Our Midwest storm coverage will be categorized into the four factors: heavy snow, destructive ice, tornadoes and bitter cold. To find out more on the various factors, click on each of the images above.

Crippling Ice Storm

What:
Overrunning moisture will meet up with a shallow subfreezing layer at the surface and create a long duration crippling ice storm.

When:
Monday Night (January 31) through early Wednesday (February 2). Peak impacts felt Tuesday.

Cities Potentially Impacted:
Fort Smith | St. Louis| St. Louis | Champaign | Terre Haute | Indianapolis | Columbus | Dayton | 

Impacts:
Incredible ice accumulation with some towns/cities experiencing as much as an inch of ice. This is destructive and crippling amount of ice which will knock out power to potentially hundreds of thousands of customers for days if not weeks.

Ice Amounts

Severe Weather

What:
South of where wintry precipitation will fall, severe thunderstorms will break out starting in central Texas and moving east during the day into Mississippi and Alabama.

When:
Tuesday (beginning during the predawn hours)

Cities Potentially Impacted:
San Antonio | Houston | Jackson, MS | New Orleans | Baton Rouge | Mobile | Memphis| Houston | Jackson, MS | New Orleans | Baton Rouge | Mobile | Memphis

Impacts:
Severe thunderstorms will sweep across the outlined region (see graphic) on Tuesday. The main threat from these storms will be damaging winds (greater than 60 mph) although large hail and a few tornadoes can not be ruled out. Explainer: Nuisance to Crippling

Bitter Cold

Tuesday AM Lows (Click to enlarge)

Tuesday Highs (Click to enlarge)

Wednesday AM Lows (Click to enlarge)

Wednesday Highs (Click to enlarge)

What:
Strong high pressure will invade the central United States transporting VERY cold air into the Plains, Midwest and as far south as south Texas.

When:
Begins Monday morning (northern Plains) through Thursday morning

Impact:
Dangerously cold air combined with harsh winds will give way to subzero wind chill values. Long-duration exposure in the elements will be life-threatening.

Maps:
Current wind chill values | Forecast wind chill values | Current wind speeds, gusts