Forecasters are warning tens of millions of Americans in the path of a massive winter storm named Jonas that they can expect to see snow measured in feet winds of 50 mph and blizzard conditions through Sunday.
Here’s what we know now about Winter Storm Jonas
The storm has a name:
The Weather Channel has named the winter storm Jonas. Click here to see how/why storms are named.
Who is affected:
About 85 million people live in the areas where watches and warnings have been issued. Winter storm warnings are posted from north Georigia to the Carolinas through the Appalachians, the Ohio Valley, the Tennessee Valley, Mid-Atlantic and as far west as central Arkansas and northeast Louisiana, according to The Weather Channel. The area that seems to be ground zero for the heaviest snow is Washington D.C.
States of emergency:
As of 5 a.m. Friday, States of Emergency have been declared in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. The declaration allows states to coordinate and request emergency resources and support from each other and the federal government. A state of emergency allows a governor to call out the National Guard, for instance.
What will happen when:
Friday into Friday night -- Look for rain changing into snow across the Lower Mississippi Valley and Tennessee Valley. Snow, gusty winds and freezing rain will move into the lower Ohio Valley, Appalachians, Carolinas and Virginia then head north Friday night toward New Jersey.
Saturday into Saturday night -- Snow settles into the Appalachians and spreads to New England. Look for rain to become snow in the mountains in Georgia and northward through the Mid-Atlantic coast. Wiinds will be very strong and there will be significant ice.
Sunday -- Rain and snow from the system will move into the Atlantic, forecasters say, with skies clearing and temperatures moving up a bit.
How much snow, ice:
Snow -- Look for at least 1 foot of snow and possibly 2 or more feet in Kentucky, West Virginia Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., northern Delaware, some of southern Pennsylvania and western North Carolina, forecasters say.
Those looking at half a foot of snow include New Jersey, New York, parts of Kentucky, Tennessee and a portion of Arkansas. Others in the winter storm warning area can see half-an-inch to an inch of snow, the NWS says.
Ice – Ice will be a problem as far south as Atlanta and could accumulate amounts that would break power lines and tree branches in the Carolinas and Kentucky.
Winds – With gusts up to 55 mph in some places, blizzard conditions will exist.
What about transportation:
Officials are warning everyone to stay indoors and do not get out on the roads which will stay snow and ice-covered for the majority of the weekend.
Flight delays – As of 5 a.m. Friday, 2,561flights within the continental United States had been canceled and an additional 2550 flights have been delayed. About the same number — 2,355 — have been canceled so far for Saturday. If you have plans to fly Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, check your airline or here for before you head to the airport.
ABC News reports that American Airlines has cancelled all flights out of Charlotte on Friday, all flights out of Philadelphia and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area on Saturday, and flights will be cancelled out of all three New York City airports by Saturday mid-morning.
Delta Air Lines has cancelled all flights out of Charlotte, Raleigh, Lexington, Columbus, Greenville–Spartanburg, Piedmont Triad and Norfolk, and is expecting to cancel all flights out of the DC and NYC area by Friday morning.
Frontier Airlines is canceling flights out of all Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York and Trenton airports starting Friday at 3 p.m.
Southwest Airlines has cancelled flights and discontinued all service out of the Baltimore-Washington International airport beginning Friday at 3 p.m.
United Airlines is closing operations at Dulles International Airport and other airports in the Washington D.C. area starting Friday 4 p.m.
More cancellations are expected. Again, check with your airline if you have flight plans.
Most airlines are scheduled to restart operations Sunday mid-morning. The major airlines have issued waivers for those who were planning to travel over the weekend so they can rebook their flights.
Emergency kit:
What do you need to get (do it quickly) to be prepared for the storm? In addition to food and water that will last for a few days and doesn’t need refrigeration in case you lose power, you can take this suggestion from the NWS:
Deadly weather:
As of Friday morning, five people have died in fatal vehicle crashes due to Winter Storm Jonas.
Don't forget the pets:
Be on the lookout to help pets who may be neglected during this storm. Here are some tips from the ASPCA.
