Winter is finally set to arrive in parts of the country that have yet to experience their usual seasonal snowfall.
Forecasters say a significant system is expected to bring snow in a storm stretching nearly two thousand miles from Texas to Maine, with heavy rain and high winds also likely.
So far January has been relatively mild compared to normal in many of these areas, but things are about to change.
Forecast models say moisture will begin to build up over the Rocky Mountains and southern plains on Monday, with the strongest impact being felt in Texas and Oklahoma on Tuesday.
Winter is finally set to arrive in parts of the country that have yet to experience their usual seasonal snowfall
Depending on where the winter weatherline forms, some regions can experience heavy snowfalls if the temperatures are cold enough.
Forecasters say a significant system is expected to bring snow in a storm stretching nearly two thousand miles from Texas to Maine, with heavy rain and high winds also likely
A significant drop in the jet stream will allow cold Canadian air to enter areas of New Mexico and Texas, leading to widespread snowfall.
Depending on where the winter weatherline forms, some regions can experience heavy snowfalls if the temperatures are cold enough.
Amarillo, Texas and Oklahoma City are just two cities where snowfall is expected.
As the storm system moves northeast, snow will fall over parts of the middle Mississippi Valley and upper Ohio Valley through Wednesday.
The system is currently moving to the Midwest in the Southeast with snow and extensive patches of rain and some thunderstorms
Depending on where the winter weatherline forms, some regions can experience heavy snowfalls if the temperatures are cold enough.
The system is currently moving to the Midwest in the Southeast with snow and extensive patches of rain and some thunderstorms
While most accumulations are expected to be light, parts of the country from Missouri to Illinois to Indiana and Michigan could see heavier snowfall, causing potential travel disruptions.
At the southern end of the storm system, large parts of the Southeast, the Tennessee Valley, and the I-95 corridor are expected to remain snow-free but receive a lot of rain.
Later in the week, through Wednesday or Thursday, the heart of the system is expected to be over the Northeast, where inland there may be several inches of snow.
It will mostly rain in major cities, with temperatures remaining too warm for snow to accumulate.
Higher elevations, including the Catskills in New York and the White Mountains in New England, could easily measure feet of heavy snow.
New York has been unusually dry this winter compared to other years when it typically sees up to 25 inches of snow – pictured January 5
The last time the city saw snow was March 9, 2022 — meaning the city had been without snow for 313 days
As for New York City, a wintry mix is likely to hit the Big Apple, which is experiencing a “snow drought” that has been without measurable snowfall — categorized as 0.1 inches or more — for 318 days since this week.
The longest snow-free period in the city’s history lasted 332 days and ended on December 15, 2020.
The second longest snow-free streak lasted 322 days and ended in 1973, the third 319 days and ended in 2002.
This year is on track to become the second-to-last recorded snowfall in a New York winter, surpassing a record set in 1871, when the white stuff didn’t arrive until January 21.
Downtown Buffalo as seen on December 23, 2022
The storm began in Buffalo when a record-breaking rain of nearly two inches drenched the area
But it’s likely to be just short of the all-time record set in 1973, when no measurable snow fell until January 29 of that year.
Last month, a violent storm hit the western New York city of Buffalo.
The bomb cyclone brought snowstorms, sub-zero temperatures and floods.
The National Guard was deployed to help with rescue efforts after emergency services were overwhelmed and police vehicles and ambulances were unable to operate in the arctic conditions.
The storm affected 200 million people and claimed the lives of at least 39 people, three of whom were in Erie County.
The storm will affect 200 million people nationwide, leaving millions without power on Christmas Day.
Crews from the New York State Department of Transportation in western New York work to uncover and remove abandoned cars and clear ramps on the Kensington Expressway in the city of Buffalo. Pictured December 27, 2022
Local residents enjoy the view from a giant pile of snow in front of Central Terminal on December 29, 2022 in Buffalo, New York
Cars were buried under several feet of snow, and people were stuck on freeways and unable to get help