New winter storm warnings issued in four states as experts predict 14 inches of snow and travel disruptions

Winter storm warnings have been issued in four states as meteorologists predict nearly 15 inches of snowfall in some areas from Thursday into Friday morning.

The affected states include parts of Wyoming, Colorado, New York and Vermont.

Travel could become very dangerous in those places, and 50-mile-per-hour winds in Vermont and New York could bring down tree limbs and power lines, potentially causing sporadic outages, the National Weather Service warned.

These winds can also reduce road visibility by blowing snow, the agency added.

“If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency,” officials advised.

New York and Vermont are expected to see the heaviest snowfall, with 4-14 inches.

Snowfall totals in Wyoming range from one to 10 inches, and in Colorado six to 12 inches could fall.

In New York, counties such as Saint Lawrence, Franklin and Clinton are in the path of this storm, and Vermont counties including Chittenden and Lamoille will also be affected, among other areas.

These states will remain under a winter storm warning until 7 a.m. ET Friday.

In Wyoming, the alert is in effect for the following mountain ranges: Salt River Range, Wyoming Range, Tetons, Gros Ventre Mountains, Sierra Madre Range and Snowy Range.

The Salt River and Wyoming Ranges can expect two to four inches of snow and wind gusts up to 45 miles per hour.

“Travel may be very difficult, including over Salt River Pass,” the NWS warned.

In the Tetons and Gros Ventre Mountains, one to three inches could accumulate, affecting the morning commute on Teton Pass and Togwotee Pass.

The Snowy Range and Sierra Madre Range will see the most snowfall, including the cities of Albany and Centennial. Between six and 10 inches are expected in these areas with winds gusting up to 50 miles per hour.

“Outdoor recreation can become dangerous for those caught unprepared for dangerous winter conditions. Hunters, hikers and snowmobilers can become disoriented and lost due to poor visibility in falling and blowing snow,” the NWS said.

The Winter Storm Warning will remain in effect until 5:00 PM MST Thursday for this region, and until 11 a.m. MST Thursday for the Salt River and Wyoming areas, as well as the Tetons and Gros Ventre Mountains.

In Colorado, the Elkhead and Park Mountains as well as Rabbit Ears Pass in the northern Rockies are under alert. This includes the towns of Columbine, Hahns Peak, Toponas and Mt. Zirkel.

Columbine, Hahns Peak and Toponas can expect eight to 12 inches of snow “with locally higher amounts possible” and wind gusts of 40 miles per hour.

Six to 12 inches of snowfall is forecast for Mt. Zirkel and Rabbit Ears Pass, as well as wind gusts up to 80 miles per hour.

These announcements come as meteorologists track another winter storm that will spread snow and ice along a 900-mile (1,500 km) stretch of the United States.

The storm will arrive in the Great Plains this weekend and finish along the Atlantic coast next week.

“The storm is shaping up to be the first widespread cross-country winter storm of the season for the central and eastern United States and will negatively impact travel in the final days of the holiday break,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. reported.

At this time, meteorologists are predicting a major snowstorm from much of Nebraska to southern and central Ohio and West Virginia, with three to six inches of accumulation.

Heavier snowfall totals of six to 12 inches — and possibly more in some areas — will include much of the Interstate 70 corridor from northern Kansas and southeastern Nebraska to southern Ohio.

Major cities expecting several inches include Topeka, Kansas; St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri; Springfield, Illinois; Indianapolis and Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio.

The maximum snowfall could be up to 30 inches somewhere from northern Missouri to west central Illinois to northeastern Kansas.

But snow isn’t all America’s Heartland has to worry about this weekend.

A destructive ice storm could hit southeastern Kansas to southern Missouri, southern Illinois and southern and central Kentucky, Sosnowski reported.

‘A strong ice glaze can knock down many trees and power lines that can block roads. Power could be out for days at a time in some communities as dangerously cold air invades in the wake of the storm,’ he said.

‘There may be a great need for crisis centers to be set up to cater for the population that may be affected.’

As the storm reaches the Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic coast, major cities including New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Baltimore will be in the way.

Icy conditions could extend into parts of North Carolina, eastern Tennessee and southern parts of Virginia, potentially affecting the cities of Richmond, Virginia; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Raleigh, North Carolina.

Travel is likely to be dangerous in these areas.