Oklahoma City is in line for 30+ cm of snowfall, which would be its largest snowstorm since December 2009.
Louisville, Kentucky, which is the global hub of delivery giant UPS, is on track to see around 30 cm of accumulation, potentially making for the city’s largest snowstorm since February 1998.
Farther east, Washington, D.C., could witness its heftiest snowfall since a disruptive storm in January 2019.
Dangerous cold will follow the winter storm
The prospect of significant, long-lasting power outages is especially dangerous given frigid temperatures of -15°C or colder in the affected areas without significant warming during the day to provide relief.
A protracted cold snap combined with extensive power outages will heighten the risk for cold-related injuries among vulnerable people, as well as the risk for carbon monoxide poisoning due to improper use of tools like grills and generators.
Forecasters expect temperatures to remain well below seasonal across most of the eastern U.S. through the beginning of February.
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