Central and eastern US travel disruption predicted in February due to winter storms

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Travel disruptions over the central and eastern United States are expected to occur as storms are lining up for frequent rounds of wintry precipitation and the third week of February might see storms.

A combination of strong temperature contrast from north to south and an active jet stream is likely to bring a storm every one to three days.

There will be waves of cold air will continue to dip into the North Central states and warmth holds on in the Deep South. So far blockbuster storms are not foreseen in the pattern.

Some communities in the Midwest and northern Appalachians may be hit by snow or a wintry mix so often that salt may end up in short supply and schools may rack up a number of snow days.

There might be  snow over parts of the northern and central Rockies, and may be heavy in a cumulative aspect in a stripe near the heavily populated Interstate-80 corridor of the Midwest.

The storms will bring mostly rain to the very busy travel corridor from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia, New York City and Boston.

According to AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok the pattern is likely to remain too progressive to keep cold air in the the I-95 corridor long enough for all or mostly snow into the third week of February.

The major eastern hubs might face substantial airline delays due to rain and low cloud ceiling.

The track and strength of each storm will vary so that at least part of some of the storms will bring snow or a wintry mix to portions of the Ohio Valley and coastal mid-Atlantic.

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• Travel disruption, midweek storm to hit the central U.S.