A rapidly strengthening winter storm, known as a bomb cyclone, is set to impact the Southeast United States this weekend, bringing significant snowfall, strong winds, and possible blizzard conditions to parts of Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. More than 20 million people are now under winter storm watches, including residents in Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and Norfolk, Virginia.
The National Weather Service warns that the storm’s path will play a critical role in determining impacts farther north. While confidence is highest for heavy snow along the Southeast coast, areas like southeast New England also face serious risks. Coastal communities in northeast North Carolina and southeast Virginia could experience blizzard conditions with wind gusts reaching up to 60 mph, as well as significant coastal flooding due to high tides and strong onshore winds.
Forecasters predict the highest snow totals—between six and twelve inches—will occur closer to the coast in North Carolina and Virginia. Inland cities such as Atlanta, Knoxville, and Roanoke may see lighter snow accumulations. The system is expected to begin Friday night and continue into Sunday morning, tapering from west to east.
The storm’s track remains uncertain for the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, with small changes in its path potentially causing major differences in snow totals and wind impacts for cities such as Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and New York City. Southeast New England, including Boston, currently has the best chance for accumulating snow if the storm hugs the coast.
Even areas that escape heavy snow may still face dangerous surf and moderate to significant coastal flooding, as the rapidly intensifying storm coincides with astronomical high tides. According to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey, “potential impacts include not just heavy precipitation but also strong winds and coastal flooding as the storm will have a tight pressure gradient with a very strong wind field.”
Communities still recovering from last weekend’s deadly winter storm may be hit again, with the risk of power outages and hazardous travel conditions persisting. Meteorologists urge residents from the Carolinas to the Northeast to monitor local forecasts and prepare for potential disruptions through the weekend.
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