Winter Storm Forecast: Snow, ice, and bitter cold to sweep across US

A major winter storm forecast to produce heavy snow, significant ice and frigid temperatures was set to begin in the central US on Saturday and move east over the next several days, according to the National Weather Service. Here is what to know about the storm expected to affect millions in the eastern two-thirds of the country: Major winter storm sets up A large system made landfall along the West Coast on Friday afternoon, bringing rain to the Pacific Northwest with snow expected in the Cascade Mountains, according to meteorologists. “This could lead to the coldest January for the U.S. since 2011,” AccuWeather Director of Forecast Operations Dan DePodwin said Friday, noting there could be up to a week or more of “temperatures that are well below historical average.” The biggest drop below normal is likely to be centered over the Ohio Valley, but significant and unusual cold will extend south to the Gulf Coast, said Danny Barandiaran, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center. “Just because the globe is warming doesn’t mean these cold snaps are going away.” Weather may be triggered by a fast-warming Arctic The brutal weather may be triggered in part by a fast-warming Arctic, a reminder that climate change gooses weather extremes, said Judah Cohen, seasonal forecast director at the private firm Atmospheric and Environmental Research.