Major snowstorm may threaten DC to NYC Friday into Saturday

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The potential exists for a major snowstorm to affect more than 50 million people across the eastern United States at the end of the week.

Areas from near Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia, New York City and Boston could receive heavy snow from the storm.
The exact track of the storm will hold the key as to which areas in mid-Atlantic and New England are hit with heavy snow,
dangerous highway travel and scores of flight delays and cancellations during Friday into Saturday.
Unlike most storms so far this winter, this system will have enough cold air to produce snow and disruptions to daily activities in some areas of the East that have seen little thus far.

Storm impacts
If the storm develops to its full potential and takes a track just off the mid-Atlantic and New England coasts, then a blizzard can unfold.
The storm could shut down highways and perhaps cause airport closures.
This is the type of storm that is likely to produce a very heavy rate of snow.
In the swath of the heaviest snow, motorists who venture out during the storm could become stranded.
Thunder and lightning could accompany the heavy snow in some coastal locations.
As the storm strengthens near the coast, winds will increase and blowing and drifting snow will develop.
Along the mid-Atlantic and New England coast, a period of rough seas, minor coastal flooding and beach erosion can occur.
The approaching full moon will cause high astronomical tides around the days where the storm will be near the coast, leading to heightened coastal concerns.

Storm timing
The storm will roll onshore in northern California on Tuesday,
then dip southward toward the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday before turning northeastward along the Atlantic coast on Friday.

The wintry mix will ramp up over the southern Appalachians during Thursday night.
On Friday, the wintry part of storm will focus on the mid-Atlantic region.
Part of New England would be most affected by the storm from Friday night into Saturday night.

Based on the most likely storm track at this early stage, cities from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore and Philadelphia,
as well as the suburbs, are included in the swath of heavy snow potential.

© Provided by AccuWeather

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A severe winter storm with double-digit snowfall totals and potential white-out conditions is just around the corner. Many roads will be impassable and businesses may be shut down. Now is the time to prepare.

What’s so remarkable about this impending storm is the long duration of wintry precipitation. Snow looks likely to start falling as early as Friday afternoon and continue as long as Sunday afternoon. That means there could be 48 hours, likely longer, when roads will be slippery at best, and treacherous at worst.

The preparations you make over the next day or two should be to prevent any need to get in the car. According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, around 70 percent of winter weather-related deaths occur in automobiles. This is avoidable, especially since we have so much time to prepare.

With blizzard conditions expected — heavy blowing snow and wind gusts to 40 mph — you really won’t want to even leave the house. The safest place will be indoors.

Do you have enough food for your family for the long weekend? You will not be able to order delivery — they won’t be able to drive on the icy roads, either. Do you have enough toilet paper? Enough water in case the pump fails? What if the power goes out — do you have the supplies you need in a convenient location?

Winter storm best practices

Shop ahead and make sure you have enough food to get you through Monday. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to stock up on just bread and milk — go ahead and get whatever you normally shop for. The Capital Weather Gang’s Kathryn Prociv suggests quick and easy things like peanut butter and jelly, or non-perishables like soup so that they won’t spoil if you don’t get through them this weekend. And don’t forget the pet food!

Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning! “Never use a generator, grill, camp stove or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning devices inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or any partially enclosed area,” says ready.gov. “Locate unit away from doors, windows and vents that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors. Keep these devices at least 20 feet from doors, windows, and vents.”

Make sure you have enough of your prescription drugs to last through the weekend.

If you MUST drive, do so during the day, and don’t drive alone. Don’t take the back roads which will be untreated. Try to stay on main roads that road crews frequently plow.

Make sure you have flashlights and the correct batteries for the flashlights in case the power goes out. Test your flashlights tonight or tomorrow so you know if you need to run out and get more.

Get any supplies out of the attic and the basement before the storm starts so you don’t have to navigate if the power goes out.

Pre-treat driveways and walkways, which will make shoveling easier when the time comes. CWG photographer and winter weather enthusiast Kevin Ambrose also recommends to gas up and power on the snow blower before the storm hits, just to make sure it’s working properly. “I let it idle for about 20 minutes, turn it off, then move it to the front of the garage,” Ambrose said. “When it’s needed the next day in the snow, it fires up quickly and is ready to go.”

If your office has the option to telecommute, bring your laptop home Thursday evening, says Camden Walker. We still don’t know exactly when snow will begin but there’s certainly a chance that some offices will decide to close that day out of an abundance of caution.

If your neighborhood tends to lose power in these situations, it may be a good idea to stock up propane for your gas grill so you can still cook. “In Feb. 2003, I cooked in the snow on my back deck after losing power,” Ambrose said.

DO NOT leave your pets outside. Doing so would be cruel and would in all likelihood lead to their death.

Remember your elderly family members and neighbors. Make sure they have enough supplies to last the weekend if they are staying home by themselves. If possible, consider having them stay with you.

Don’t be afraid of the storm. It’s good to be prepared, but it’s not something to fear.

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This morning, most domestic airlines updated their travel alerts, in some cases adding new cities to the list and in others, extending the days the alert covers.

Here’s the latest round-up of updated advisories from airlines:

Alaska Airlines is allowing travelers to change, postpone or cancel travel plans for tickets purchased on or before Jan. 20 for travel Jan. 22-24 to or from Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI), Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Newark (EWR), New York JFK, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), and Washington’s Dulles (IAD) and Reagan National (DCA) airports. The carrier will waive change fees and the difference in ticket price if new travel is booked and completed by Jan. 27, 2016.

In a travel alert updated Thursday morning, American Airlines relaxes change-fee policies for travel to/from or through more than 40 East Coast airports for passengers traveling on American and American Eagle flights Jan. 21-24 who rebook travel to the same city pairs, in the same class of service by Jan. 27, 2016.

Delta Air Lines’ Northeast Winter Weather advisory, updated this morning, applies now to more than 30 airports and reminds passengers that if their flights are canceled or significantly delayed, they are entitled to a refund.

For travelers with flights scheduled Jan. 24-26, the airline is allowing a one-time, fee-free change if the ticket is reissued on or before Jan. 27, 2016, and rebooked travel begins no later than Jan. 27.

Frontier Airlines’ storm alert covers travel from Jan. 21-24 to/from and through Philadelphia, Trenton-Mercer, N.J. (TTN), New York LaGuardia (LGA), Washington’s Dulles and Reagan National airports, Charlotte, N.C. (CLT), Raleigh-Durham, N.C. (RDU) and Greensboro, N.C. (GSO).

Passengers who purchased tickets on or before Jan. 19 may make one fee-free change and rebook for travel that must be completed by Jan. 31, 2016. Refunds will be issued for canceled flights.

This morning JetBlue updated its Winter Storm Jonas alert for the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast.

In the Mid-Atlantic the airline is waiving change/cancel fees and the difference in airfare for customers with booked travel for Jan. 22-24, to or from BWI, Charlotte, N.C., Raleigh-Durham, N.C., Richmond, Va. (RIC) and Washington’s Dulles and Reagan National airports.

The airline’s alert says customers may rebook flights for travel through Jan. 29, 2016, and that customers with canceled flights can opt for a refund instead.

In the Northeast, JetBlue’s alert covers ticketed travel from Jan. 23 through Jan. 24 to or from Boston, Hartford Springfield, Conn. (BDL), New York LaGuardia, JFK and Newark, Newburgh, N.Y. (SWF), Philadelphia, Providence, R.I. (PVD), Westchester County, N.Y. (HPN) and Worcester, Mass. (ORH).

Customers may rebook flights for travel through Jan. 29, 2016, instead. Customers with canceled flights may opt for refunds.

This morning Southwest Airlines spokeswoman Melanie Jones said the airline's Network Operations Control Center Team was “actively monitoring the track and intensity of the storm and will make adjustments to flight schedules, as necessary, including canceling flights.”

In the meantime, the airline is advising customers holding reservations for travel Jan. 21-24 to, from and through (currently) 17 airports, including BWI, Boston, Charlotte, Greenville/Spartanburg (GSP), Little Rock (LIT), Long Island Islip (ISP), Louisville (SDF), Memphis, Nashville, Newark, New York LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Richmond, Washington Dulles and Washington Reagan National that they are eligible to reschedule their flights in accordance with the carrier’s accommodation procedures.

United Airlines’ updated travel waiver advisory now covers airports in more than 35 cities for ticketed travel from Jan. 22 through Jan. 24. “The change fee and any difference in fare will be waived for new flights departing on or before Jan. 20-27, 2016, as long as travel is rescheduled in the same cabin (any fare class) and between the same cities as originally ticketed,” the carrier notes on its website.

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A pile of shoveled snow sits outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 21, 2016, as the East Coast prepares for a blizzard to arrive within the next 24 hours.