With a major winter storm set to hit the United States beginning Friday, Americans are being urged to prepare now.
“A significant winter storm is expected to threaten over 170 million Americans with widespread heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain from the Southern Rockies to New England through Monday,” the National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Prediction Center (WPC) said Friday. “Extremely cold air will follow, prolonging dangerous travel and infrastructure impacts into next week.”
The WPC said heavy snow is expected across a wide stretch of the country—from the Southern Rockies and Plains through the Mid-Atlantic and into the Northeast—with totals in some locations projected to exceed a foot.
Forecasters also warned that widespread sleet and freezing rain could slam parts of the Southern Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic. Those conditions can bring long-duration power outages, major tree damage, and extremely dangerous travel.
“This is a rare high-impact event—potentially the worst in decades,” meteorologist Dylan Federico said on Tuesday.
“In wake of the storm, communities from the Southern Plains to the Northeast will contend with bitterly cold temperatures,” the WPC added. “This will prolong hazardous travel and infrastructure impacts into next week. Preparations should be completed immediately.”
The incoming deep freeze also increases the risk of frozen pipes, which can cut off household water supply. One recommended step is filling a bathtub in advance to create a backup source of clean water for bathing, cleaning, and flushing toilets, according to a recent article from Tom’s Guide. The outlet said it can also provide a “critical volume” of water before a winter storm potentially affects piping.
American Water, the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the U.S., issued guidance Friday to help prevent frozen pipes. Suggestions included reducing cold air exposure near water lines, repairing drafty windows, insulating pipes, and sealing drafts around doors.
In New York, the state’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services warned Thursday that “’feels-like’ temperatures ranging from 0 to -40 degrees Fahrenheit are expected this weekend, especially at night,” and advised residents to prepare their homes with steps such as:
- Open cabinet doors to circulate warmer air around plumbing.
- Let cold water drip from the faucet at a trickle.
- Raise your temperature and don’t set it below 55 F.
