National Weather at 645pm January 28 2005

[Jeb]

Dangerous winter storm for much of the South

6:48 P.M. ET 1/28/2005

 

Tom Moore, Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

 

 

 

South

A cold dome of air swept into the South early on Friday. Moisture running up from the Gulf of Mexico is clashing with the cold air will result in a widespread and significant winter storm. Look for freezing rain all the way down through central Georgia and over much of South Carolina. The combination of sleet and freezing rain is likely from northern Georgia to western South Carolina. Northern Georgia can expect sleet changing to freezing rain overnight into Saturday morning. Precipitation should taper off to light freezing rain and freezing drizzle as the day wears on but the damage will already be done. Precipitation in Georgia should be all freezing rain south of Atlanta from Columbus to Augusta. Much of central and even parts of eastern South Carolina will see freezing rain from this storm. A snow/sleet combination will begin from western South Carolina to western North Carolina on Saturday and may eventually mix with freezing rain. Lighter areas of sleet and freeezing rain are likely across parts of eastern Kentucky and Tennessee. Ice accumulations on trees and powerlines may result in widespread power outages. Since this storm will be quite significant, make all necessary precautions early and stay with TWC and weather.com for the latest updates.

 

West

A strong disturbance that swept into the West Coast on Friday will push eastward into the Great Basin and Rockies on Saturday. Look for light to moderate accumulations over those areas. Showers and thunderstorms are likely on Saturday across the Desert Southwest, including the Phoenix, Ariz., area. California will dry out for the time being. Conditions will be favorable for strong Santa Ana winds to develop over Southern California Sunday and Monday. In the Pacific Northwest, look for rain and higher elevation snow over western Washington and northwest Oregon Sunday and Monday.

 

Midwest

Much of the Midwest will see fairly light precipitation for the next few days. On Saturday, wintry precipitation will shift from Kansas and Missouri to the Ohio Valley. There will be a combination of light snow, sleet and freezing rain in these areas. Snow will develop around Kansas City on Friday evening and spread to St. Louis by morning. Snowfall amounts across Missouri will generally fall in the one to three inch range. Temperatures will be somewhat chilly but by no means frigid, generally ranging from the 20s to the north to near 40 just south of the Ohio River.

 

Northeast

A strong area of high pressure brushed across the Northeast on Friday and it will keep things chilly across the region right through the weekend. At least much of the Northeast will be precipitation-free through the weekend. An exception will be across the Middle Atlantic where snow and sleet will fall, as precipitation from the southern storm creeps northward. Look for snow and sleet to move northward through western Virginia by Saturday night. Coastal regions will see mostly rain. On Sunday as low pressure develops off the North Carolina coast, precipitation will change to all snow over western Virginia and spread eastward across northern Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, southern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. Western Virginia could pick up between 6 and 12 inches. Other areas could see 2 to 4 inches, including the Washington, D.C., area. From central Virginia to the Delmarva Peninsula, sleet and freezing rain will develop Sunday. Look for temperatures to gradually moderate early next week.