Cars are covered in snow during a winter storm in a residential area of Washington, DC, early on January 6, 2025
Cars are covered in snow during a winter storm in a residential area of Washington, DC, early on January 6, 2025. AFP

KEY POINTS

  • An 'impactful' weather system with freezing rain and sleet will hit the Midwest and northern Mid-Atlantic Wednesday
  • A second winter storm is expected to affect the Northeast and Midwest over the weekend
  • Multiple areas are under ice storm warnings, including portions of north central and western Maryland

A series of winter storms starting Wednesday are expected to deliver ice and snow across portions of the Midwest and Northeast through the weekend, with ice storm warnings up in several areas.

The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) said in its extended forecast that there is potential for "heavy snow and ice across the northern Mid-Atlantic and Northeast this weekend."

The Weather Channel has named the first winter storm system that could hit the said areas Wednesday as Winter Storm Freya. Another winter storm is forecasted to still affect the Northeast and Midwest over the weekend. A similar weather system currently being observed may also affect the mentioned regions next week.

A messy mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain is expected to affect portions of the Ohio Valley and the Mid-Atlantic region by Thursday, the NWS Weather Prediction Center said Tuesday night.

The freezing rain and sleet due to hit the Midwest and northern Mid-Atlantic Wednesday will be "widespread" and "impactful," the weather agency warned.

Heaviest icing is likely in western Maryland, northward into central and southern Pennsylvania, and the West Virginia Panhandle.

The following ice storm warnings have been issued:

Ice Storm Warnings

  • Northwest Pocahontas and Southeast Pocahontas Counties – from 9 a.m. Wednesday through 7 a.m. Thursday
  • Portions of north central and western Maryland, northwest Virginia, and eastern and panhandle West Virginia – from 7 p.m. Wednesday through noon Thursday
  • Western Highland County in Virginia and western Pendleton County in West Virginia – from 7 a.m. Wednesday through 7 a.m. Thursday
  • Higher elevations of Fayette and Westmoreland, and higher elevations of Indiana Counties; eastern Preston and eastern Tucker Counties in West Virginia – from 7 p.m. Wednesday through 10 a.m. Thursday
  • A portion of central Pennsylvania – from 7 p.m. Wednesday through noon Thursday
  • Eastern Greenbrier and western Greenbrier Counties – from 9 a.m. Wednesday through 7 a.m. Thursday

Aside from posting ice storm warnings on its website, the NWS has also urged Americans, especially those "across much of the northern half of the country" to "take it slow" when on the road this week.

It noted how every year, over a thousand people die and some 100,000 injuries are reported across the country due to vehicle crashes during the winter season.

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