Winter weather alerts remain in effect across nearly two dozen states as a developing ice storm gains strength and makes its way across the eastern half of the U.S. this week.
Fast Facts:
- Over 100 million people across 22 states under winter weather alerts.
- Pennsylvania braces for icing event with impacts beginning overnight into Thursday
- Thursday morning commutes in Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C. may be affected by wintry mix.
- Even bigger winter storm possible this weekend, impacting same regions as this midweek storm.
NEW YORK – A winter storm that brought traffic to a standstill in the Midwest on Wednesday morning is now setting its sights on major cities in the Great Lakes region Wednesday night before heading to snarl morning commutes in the Northeast on Thursday, with over 100 million under winter alerts.
It’s the first in a pair of high-impact ice storms that has millions of people across nearly two dozen states on alert due to the widespread impacts of freezing rain and other winter weather.
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(FOX Weather)
Winter Weather Advisories stretched Wednesday night across over 1,500 miles from Nebraska to Maine, with forecasters warning that icy conditions could lead to slick roads overnight and into Thursday.
That puts Thursday morning commutes across multiple major metro areas in peril, including cities like Chicago, and Columbus and Cleveland in Ohio, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C and New York City.
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The NWS office in Cleveland was one of many NWS offices asking drivers to avoid travel if possible.
“Freezing rain will begin to transition to light rain early Thursday morning,” Cleveland forecasters said. “However, slick spots may linger through mid-morning as surface temperatures remain chilly in the mid-30s.”
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Numerous crashes have been reported in the Kansas City, Missouri, area as a developing winter storm coats area roads in ice. Officials have urged people to delay travel until Thursday, if possible.
The FOX Forecast Center said that dangerous travel conditions appear to be the biggest impact of this storm in those locations. Forecasters believe ice accretions across the Midwest should remain low enough that only scattered power outages could occur.
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Significant icing could have crippling impact on Pennsylvania
(FOX Weather)
Areas to the east will see the highest potential for significant icing – especially in portions of Maryland and into the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania.
Ice Storm Warnings covered parts of four states. Power outages and tree damage are most likely in those locations, as ice accretions greater than a quarter-inch and maybe as high as a half-inch are possible.
(FOX Weather)
“We’re going to see the freezing rain there start after midnight (Wednesday night), so that is going to be the icing event we are calling for and afraid of,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen said.
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The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Turnpike implemented vehicle restrictions across Pennsylvania starting Wednesday and lasting through Thursday due to the anticipated impacts of the ice storm.
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Northeast, New England to be slammed with snow, ice
Outside that region, freezing rain is expected to fall along the busy Interstate 95 corridor from Washington up through southern New England.
(FOX Weather)
The FOX Forecast Center said that from the New York City area northward, the cold air will be deep enough that snow will be a concern during the onset of the winter weather with periods of snow likely between about 3-8 a.m. before briefly changing to freezing rain then warming to just rain.
Other cities like Hartford, Connecticut, and Boston could see snow falling during the middle to latter part of the Thursday morning commute.
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That could wreak havoc on the roads, but the FOX Forecast Center said that much like in the Midwest, warm air will move in, changing the snow to either freezing rain or plain rain.
Any snow left behind will nearly completely melt.
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But farther to the north across northern New England, the snow will continue through the day on Thursday and may not change over north of Interstate 90. The FOX Forecast Center said that locations picking up 6 inches of snow or more would likely be found there.
The system will then quickly exit New England by Thursday evening, leaving mainly dry conditions on Thursday night and Friday.
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Storm brings travel nightmares to Midwest Wednesday morning
The storm first made its presence felt in the Midwest Wednesday morning, unleashing a travel nightmare across portions of Kansas and Missouri.
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Officials say there were multiple reports of stalled and crashed vehicles on roads and highways from Topeka, Kansas, to Kansas City, Missouri, and cameras showed traffic at a standstill as a result.
Traffic is on the move once again on Interstate 35 in the Kansas City, Missouri, area, after slick roads led to numerous crashes on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.
The biggest impacts were on major highways in the area, including Interstate 35, Interstate 70, Interstate 670 and Interstate 435.
A video from the area showed a sea of red taillights on I-35 after the road was shut down due to a crash. The road has since reopened.
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Schools have also been closed across the region, with some districts canceling classes altogether or moving students to virtual learning.
Second ice storm to impact same regions this weekend
(FOX Weather)
The FOX Forecast Center said a second, even stronger storm is expected this weekend.
The storm is also expected to bring freezing rain to nearly the same areas that impacted during this first storm.
However, the FOX Forecast Center said there would be one major difference – this next storm will pack much more snow.
Heavy snow is looking increasingly likely on Saturday across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region.
Cities like Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Detroit could see their biggest snowstorm so far this winter.
(FOX Weather)
That storm will reach the Northeast on Saturday night and produce another round of snow, sleet and freezing rain.
The FOX Forecast Center said that, like this first storm, Pennsylvania again appears to be in the bull’s eye for highly impactful ice.
Rain is looking likely in the Ohio Valley and the Appalachians. Potentially heavy rain will be most concerning in the central Appalachians, and some flooding is possible.
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