A brutal winter storm is taking shape and poised to barrel across a vast swath of the United States this weekend, with forecasters warning of potentially dangerous impacts. As many as 180 million people—from Texas through the Midwest and into New England—could find themselves in its crosshairs, bracing for heavy snow, crippling ice, bitter cold, and the risk of widespread power outages. Ahead of its arrival, here's an expert-backed guide to help you prepare and stay safe.
"Power outages are likely from northern Texas to the Carolinas," Thomas Kines, Senior Meteorologist at Accuweather told CNET. "The worst-case scenario is that power is lost for several days in some communities."
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When will the storm begin?
According to The Weather Channel, the impending Winter Storm Fern is set to begin on Friday in the South Central states, then move into the Midwest and eventually the East Coast.
"Talks of snow may be exciting, but dangerously cold temperatures bring even more risk this weekend," The Weather Channel reported in a social media post. "Negative 50 F wind chills in the Plains, and sub-freezing temperatures all the way down to the Gulf Coast pose a life-threatening risk this weekend, especially where snow/ice cause power outages."
With the storm still days away, predictions can change, so keep an eye on local weather reports for the latest alerts.
"We are pretty confident on the current forecast," Kines says. "There is still a question mark on how far north the storm will track in the east. The farther north the storm tracks, the higher the chance of sleet and freezing rain making it into the I-95 corridor from Washington D.C. to Philadelphia to New York City. If that happens, snow amounts will be reduced in these areas."
How should I prepare?
"Make sure phones are charged, you have days worth of medications, know how to use your generator [and] have flashlights available," Kines.
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