The latest wave of lake-effect snow began crashing across parts of the northern part of the country on Wednesday, threatening to devastate New York City and Washington, DC

The rolling line of storms, which stretched into its seventh day, dumped more than 5 feet of snow in some areas near the Great Lakes in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York state. Heavy “lake-enhanced” snowfall was forecast for Wednesday and Thursday downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario, the National Weather Service said in an update, adding that heavy snowfall was also expected over parts of northern New England.

But the latest storm could also create a travel nightmare along parts of I-95 below New England. Commuters heading near Washington, D.C. to Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City on Thursday morning could be forced to drive through potentially blinding squalls, according to AccuWeather.

AccuWeather meteorologist Alyssa Glenny said rain could turn to snow as the cold front approaches amid strong winds.

“There will be a sudden loss of visibility and that alone can increase the risk of an accident,” Glenny said. “In some cases, a severe snowstorm will move through a portion of the I-95 zone, which may briefly muddy bridges, overpasses and elevated surfaces within minutes.”

From Hartford, Connecticut, to Boston and Portland, Maine, the risk occurs during the midday hours, when there is less traffic and the roads are less likely to be covered in slush.

Winter Storm Updates: The lake effect snow isn’t going away anytime soon; 5 feet of snow in a week

Developments:

∎ The Ohio Weather Service issued a lake effect snow warning for the Cleveland area. Additional snow totals of 6 to 10 inches were expected through Friday, with locally higher amounts.

∎ Lake effect snow, gusty winds and blowing snow were forecast for areas around Buffalo, New York through Thursday. Although the forecast called for only 4 to 6 inches of new snow for Buffalo, areas around Lewis County could see up to 24 inches of new snow, the weather service said.

The risk of snow will continue to increase on Thursday

Thursday will be a rough day of weather for millions of people across the eastern United States, with howling winds and heavy snow expected in many areas.

A powerful arctic cold front will sweep across the northeastern United States on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. “Expect short, heavy snowfalls and gusty winds. Hazardous travel conditions are likely, including whiteout visibility and rapidly deteriorating road conditions,” the weather service said.

Wind gusts of up to 50 mph will rage across the central Appalachians, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast throughout the day on Thursday. The weather service warned that blizzards could develop in the lake-effect snow belts and central Appalachia, making for treacherous travel. Gusty winds can topple tree branches and cause power outages.

Snow is measured in feet in lake effect snow belts. Heavy snowfall is also possible along the central Appalachian Mountains and throughout inland New England, the weather service said.

According to AccuWeather, snow threats from Thursday’s storm will be more widespread than the recent round of lake-effect snow, where impacts were mostly limited to areas closer to the Great Lakes. “Snow showers and heavy snow squalls could extend hundreds of miles from the lakes, including across highways near major cities,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.

Cities, cities already under siege are preparing for more

In Erie (Pennsylvania), where up to 1.5 meters of snow has already flooded the region, another 60 centimeters is possible by Friday, the weather service said. In Watertown, New York, which also saw snowfall in recent days, the outlook was slightly better – up to 10 inches of additional snow was predicted.

Parts of Michigan where an additional foot or more of snow fell in the last 24 hours could see another 6 inches or more.

The cold snap isn’t over yet

The biting cold that has gripped much of the Midwest and Northeast has been fueled by a new blast of arctic air. But forecasters said the front would move through much faster than the cold snap that lasted through much of the long Thanksgiving weekend and into early this week. Warmer temperatures should break through this weekend.

The cold air will move east and south and temperatures will be 10 to 15 degrees below average, the weather service warned. That will move into the mid to lower 20s to parts of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and North Carolina later this week. Heavy snow showers could reduce visibility from New York City to Washington, DC on Thursday.

The good news is a warming forecast for next week, when Washington, DC could reach 65 degrees.

Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis: squalls, severe frost, travel problems

Northern areas of Minnesota, Michigan, New York and New England will see the most consistent snowfall, according to AccuWeather. Heavy lake snow will initially hit the southwest-facing Great Lakes coasts, including Buffalo and Watertown, on Wednesday. Winds will shift late Wednesday and Thursday, with bands of heavy lake-effect snow moving across northern Wisconsin and Michigan into northern Ohio, northwestern Pennsylvania and western and central New York, AccuWeather said.

Cities that could see a quick snow squall with a quick freeze – creating treacherous driving conditions – include Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio.

Blowing snow and drifting snow can cause devastating damage as temperatures drop and the snow becomes drier and powderier. Gusts averaging 30-50 mph will sweep across the Midwest and Northeast on Wednesday and reach the Northeast on Thursday.

Blizzard conditions are possible

“Strong winds with gusts of 40 to 50 mph are expected today through Thursday,” the weather service in Cleveland said in a social media post. “Wind chill values ​​will fall into the single digits this evening, which can pose a risk of hazard if unprepared.”

The strong winds could cause blizzards in some areas. The National Weather Service defines a blizzard as a storm with large amounts of snow or blowing snow with winds exceeding 35 miles per hour and visibility less than 1/4 mile for at least three hours.

Schools were closed for days in many parts of the region

The snow has led to school closures across the region for several days. Students and parents in dozens of districts are waiting for daily notifications as teachers and administrators try to shorten school days when possible. In Erie, all public schools were closed and classes suspended Wednesday “as city road crews continue to clear streets. Wednesday will not be a flexible instruction day; there will be no in-person or virtual instruction.”

What is Lake Effect Snow? Here’s how it happens and how much snow it can bring.

Texas belts due to power grid overload

The extreme cold blasts predicted for Texas this winter could test the state’s power grid in early 2025 in a similar way to four years ago, the grid operator’s chief meteorologist said Tuesday. Storm Uri caused power outages in millions of homes and businesses in Texas and killed at least 240 people. The impact of Uri prompted Texas to begin overhauling its grid to increase reliability.

Chris Coleman, chief meteorologist at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, cited ocean and atmospheric patterns similar to early 2021. Coleman said the current weather pattern “supports something like a Uri this winter.”

Cold peaks are increasing in Texas, but average winter temperatures are generally warmer, Coleman said. Last winter was the state’s 11th warmest since 1895, according to the National Weather Service.

What is Lake Effect Snow?

Lake effect snow, which can last from a few minutes to several days, arises from narrow bands of clouds that form when cold, dry Arctic air flows over a large, relatively mild lake. As the cold air flows over the unfrozen and “warm” waters of the Great Lakes, heat and moisture are transferred to the lowest part of the atmosphere, according to the National Weather Service. The air rises and clouds form and grow into narrow bands, producing 2 to 3 inches of snow per hour or more.

Wind direction is also a key component in determining which areas will experience lake snow. Heavy snow may fall in one place while the sun shines in either direction just a kilometer or two away.

What is wind chill? How perceived temperature can accelerate frostbite.

How wind chill works

Wind chill temperature indicates how cold people feel outside. According to the National Weather Service, wind chill is based on the rate of heat loss from exposed skin caused by the combination of wind and cold. As the wind increases, it removes heat from the body, causing skin temperature and ultimately the body’s internal temperature to decrease. Wind chill temperatures are determined on a sliding scale displayed on the Weather Service’s wind chill map. If the temperature is 0 degrees and the wind is blowing at 15 mph, the wind chill is 19 degrees below zero.

Contribution: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Blizzard conditions possible in Midwest and Northeast: Weather updates