For residents living in the Midwest and the northeast, more cold weather is expected to kick off the New Year. The states have already dealt with winter storm Dion, Cleon, Electra, and Gemini, and now winter storm Hercules is making its rounds across the northeast and Midwestern states. Snow has already began to fall overnight in parts of New England and New York, but forecasters say that the full effect of the storm will not hit until later in the day Thursday Up to a foot of snow or more was forecast for some areas on Thursday and into Friday, while temperatures expecting to plummet. Some areas will see highs of just above zero, according to the National Weather Service Travel problems are also expected, because of the massive amounts of snow and cold temperatures. Some sections of southern New England and New York could receive up to a foot of snow, with forecasts predicting 6 to 12 inches possible. The state of New York is likely to see 3 to 7 inches and has been issued a snow alert.
The snow that is falling is extremely light, and according to a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, could be even pushed with a broom. All of southern New England is under a winter storm warning until Friday morning, and this region is expected to get slammed with up to 12 inches possible. Massachusetts could expect 10 to 14 inches, and even parts of Vermont are expecting 8 to 12 inches. On Wednesday, this storm cell dropped half a foot of snow in Illinois, causing hundreds of cancellations at the Chicago airport. It is said that over a foot of snow has been dumped over the Great Lakes Region, the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. Cold temperatures are also becoming an issue, with many states across the Midwest and northeast experiencing highs in the teens below zero. Unfortunately, this weather is not going to be short lived. As we close out the end of this week, another cold weather cell will move in and make its way across the already freezing northeast and Midwest. This cell will bring with it more cold temperatures and highs in the teens below zero for much of the north-central region of the United States.
Blizzard conditions were forecast for areas along the Northeastern coast. A state of emergency is in effect for Bridgeport, which will impose special parking regulations so that crews can plow. While the bulk of the storm was predicted to hit southern New England and sections of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, additional snow was also seen farther north. The states of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana have also received a significant amount of snow, as well as colder than normal temperatures. Many variables can change during a cold spell, so it is important to stay tuned to your local weather authority for any updates that may occur.