Weather

A winter storm is expected to bring heavy snow Wednesday from northern Pennsylvania to northern New England. A foot of snow may accumulate before the storm ends Wednesday night. Rain will drench areas from the central Gulf of Mexico to the lower Mid-Atlantic coast. A few gusty thunderstorms are projected to accompany the rain in the South, while rain tapers to showers along the Texas coast.

Wintry mix and ice will extend from the Ohio Valley to the central Appalachians and southeastern New England. Depending on how quickly sleet and rain mix with snow, accumulation may be heavy, with one to two inches of snow falling per hour when the precipitation changes to a wintry mix. Mostly rain is expected from Washington to Philadelphia and New York City. Snow and ice accumulation will increase substantially just to the north and west. As colder air moves in behind the storm, freezing will occur in the Midwest on Wednesday and in the Northeast on Wednesday night.

More snow is in the forecast for the northern Rockies, with rain showers in the lower elevations west of the Continental Divide. Most areas west of the Rockies can expect another dry and warm day. Abundant sunshine will prevail in most areas, with patchy low clouds and fog in the early morning.

FOCUS: Dry Pattern Persists in the Southwest

The main storm track from the Pacific Ocean will remain too far north to bring any significant rain or snow to California over the next week or so. This will exacerbate current drought conditions and keep the risk of wildfires high.