New York, New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina brace for freezing cold, snow storm, ice. Check state-wise U.S. weather forecast

A rapidly strengthening storm will produce powdery snow that will be prone to blowing and drifting in a large part of the Southeast states Saturday. A blizzard will unfold near the North Carolina coast as the storm brings snow and slippery travel as far to the west as Tennessee and to the south as Georgia.

The heaviest snow, with areas of 6 to 12 inches of accumulation, will fall in North Carolina and South Carolina. Parts of southern Virginia will receive heavy snow as well. Due to very dry air to the north, a sharp edge to the accumulating snow is forecast in the mid-Atlantic and New England, where most of the snow will be confined to the Delmarva, New Jersey and southeast New England coasts, as well as eastern Long Island in New York. As the storm strengthens, high winds along the coast will create harsh conditions.

Elsewhere in the East, showers will mark the arrival of arctic air in Florida that is forecast to bring the lowest temperatures in decades by Sunday. Some snow and ice will slowly advance to the east from Montana to the Dakotas, Nebraska and northern Kansas.


In the West, most areas will be dry and rather warm for the last day of January. Highs will be in the 60s, 70s and 80s in Southern California. Clouds and some showers are in store for western Washington.

Hard Freeze for Central Florida

The coldest air of the season will spread across Florida this weekend. Temperatures early Sunday are expected to reach the freezing mark all the way into interior South Florida. Temperatures will drop into the mid-20s across a large portion of central Florida.