Winter storm watches have been issued for parts of New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio on Tuesday, and are in place for the next few days. It comes after a treacherous post-Thanksgiving travel weekend, as snow is forecast to continue to wallop parts of the Great Lakes region, while a good portion of the continental United States is experiencing bitter-cold temperatures.
"Lake-effect snow will continue downwind from Lakes Erie and Ontario on Tuesday," the National Weather Service said in a Tuesday bulletin. "Then on Wednesday, moderate to heavy lake-enhanced snow develops downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario through Thursday." This means some areas of the Great Lakes could see more than a foot of additional lake-effect snow through Tuesday. Portions of eastern upper and northern lower Michigan could get hit with 6 and 16 inches of snow, with winds gusts up to 40 mph, between Tuesday evening through Thursday.
Meanwhile, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties in New York could have additional snow accumulations of over 7 inches through Thursday; parts of that region were already slammed with nearly 5 feet of snow over the weekend. In Buffalo, at the Sunday-night Bills game, hundreds of fans shoveled Highmark Stadium to clear snow that buried the seats.
Northern New England could see some moderate to heavy snow on Wednesday, while light to moderate snow is forecast for parts of the northeast and southern New England.
Advisories and warnings
Portions of the Great Lakes region are under winter storm watches for the next few days, NWS meteorologists said.
A winter storm watch has been issued for parts of Michigan through Thursday and for parts of northern and western New York and northeastern Ohio through Friday.
Lake-effect snow warnings are also in effect through Tuesday evening for portions of northwestern Pennsylvania and western New York.
Lake-effect snow is when cold air driven by the wind flows over lakes that aren't as cold. In the case of this winter weather storm, the Great Lakes are experiencing record warmth.
Freezing temperatures for millions
About 70% of the continental U.S., roughly 220 million people, will experience below-freezing temperatures in the next few days. The NWS says "temperatures will be 10 to 15 degrees below average over parts of the Ohio Valley, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Southeast" through Wednesday night. For cities like New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Minneapolis and Cincinnati, they will feel the deep chill all week.
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