Adobe Stock
A major nor’easter is set to deliver the biggest snowstorm in years to parts of the East Coast on Wednesday, prompting emergency declarations in the region as damaging winds could deliver power outages and coastal flooding.
It may not be the storm of the century, but the East Coast will see its biggest snowstorm in years on Wednesday as a nor’easter could deliver over two feet of snow in some areas, while a foot of snow or greater is widely expected to affect many states. Winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories extend from Maine as far south as Georgia.
Flakes are expected to arrive in the region by the afternoon. However, the heaviest snowfall is expected in the evening hours. The snowfall is expected to taper off in the region by Thursday afternoon.
In addition to heavy snowfall, another concern will be potentially damaging winds that could bring power outages to the region. Officials warned that coastal areas should be prepared for possible flooding, WTNH News 8 reported.
With many people working at home amid the coronavirus pandemic, power outages could be a major problem. Ahead of the storm, at-home workers are advised to use cloud data security programs to back up their work to prevent any loss of vital data during an electricity blackout.
Pennsylvania’s Governor Tom Wolfe made a disaster emergency proclamation in advance of the storm, NBC reported. On Tuesday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also urged New Yorkers to get prepared.
Officials are advising residents to stay home and avoid travel if it all possible. Transportation services could also possibly be shut down. Driving will be extremely hazardous due to black ice and slick road conditions.
“This is going to be a serious storm,” de Blasio warned. “And people need to take it seriously.”
Here are today’s weather alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS).
Winter storm warning: Washington, D.C.; Delaware; central and extreme western Maryland; northern Virginia; eastern West Virginia; western and central, northeastern and southeastern Pennsylvania; central Ohio; New Jersey; south-central and eastern New York; western New England areas; Connecticut; Rhode Island; Massachusetts; southern Vermont; southern New Hampshire; southern Maine.
Winter weather advisory east: northern and central Georgia; northwest South Carolina; western and northwest North Carolina; western Virginia; southeast West Virginia; central and northern Kentucky; southern Indiana; southwestern, northern and east central Ohio; western, northwestern and northeastern Pennsylvania; extreme western Maryland; western, northern and south-central New York; northern Vermont; northern New Hampshire; southern Maine.
Winter weather advisory west: northeastern, northwestern, southwest and eastern Oregon; southeast Washington; central and southwestern Idaho; western Montana; northern California; northern, northeastern and western Nevada; Utah.
High wind warning: central and north central Montana; southeastern Wyoming; western Nebraska.
