What We Know: Key Takeaways From Massive Winter Storm

Here’s what we know about the winter storm hitting the eastern United States...

This NOAA satellite image taken Friday, Jan. 22, 2016, at 12:45 AM EST, shows an area of low pressure rapidly gaining strength over the southern Mississippi River Valley. This area of low pressure is bringing heavy rain to the Southeast as well as strong thunderstorms for the Gulf Coast States and eventually into Florida. Some isolated tornadoes are possible with these storms in addition to the heavy rain, hail, and lightning. This storm will slowly move towards the southern Mid-Atlantic and bring heavy snow and wind. Blizzard conditions are likely. Some locations will see over two feet of snow with this system. High pressure over New England will bring cold temperatures and dry conditions. Areas of lake effect snow will occur across the Great Lakes. Weather Underground via AP

Here’s what we know about the winter storm hitting the eastern United States:

• What is it? Possibly one of history’s 10 worst winter storms to hit the East Coast. Heavy snow and high winds are moving across the northern mid-Atlantic region. Washington, Baltimore and New York have been toppled with more than two feet of snow and it’s still falling.
• Why now? All the ingredients have come together to create a blizzard with brutally high winds, dangerous inland flooding, white-out conditions and even the possibility of thunder snow, with Washington at the epicenter, forecasters said. The storm initially picked up warm water from the Gulf of Mexico, then gained much more moisture from the warmer-than-usual Gulf Stream off the East Coast.
• How long? The snow arrived Friday afternoon in Washington, and it’s expected to continue into Sunday as the slow-moving storm moves up the coast.

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