Winter Storm Map Shows Where Double Whammy Will Hit Hardest

At least minor impacts were expected in multiple U.S. states this week, as two winter storms were forecast to roll across the country.

Why It Matters

Snow can disrupt travel and lead to hazardous driving conditions.

Freezing temperatures may present health risks, especially for vulnerable groups such as infants and older adults. Winter storms can also trigger power outages.

What To Know

The country is facing two winter storms this week, expected to bring challenging weather from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic.

Multiple states were under a winter storm warning from the National Weather Service (NWS) Tuesday morning.

WWSI — A screen-grab of the National Weather Service’s Winter Storm Severity Index for February 11, 2025, at 8 a.m. ET through February 14, 2025, at 7 a.m. ET.

NWS

According to the NWS’ Winter Storm Severity Index (WSSI)—a tool developed by the National Weather Service (NWS) to assist in assessing and communicating the potential impacts of winter storms across the country—”moderate impacts” were expected in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware, as well as parts of West Virginia, New Jersey, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan.

For areas where moderate impacts were forecast, the NWS said to expect disruptions to daily life. Hazardous driving conditions, as well as closures and disruptions to infrastructure, are possible.

Minor impacts—meaning a few inconveniences to daily life and winter driving conditions—were expected across parts of Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont and Colorado.

The WSSI integrates official NWS forecasts with various datasets, such as climatology, land use and population, to provide a graphical representation of anticipated societal impacts because of winter weather.

The NWS expected the storms to bring “heavy snow and damaging ice.”

At least six inches of snow was more than 70 percent likely for parts of Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan, a separate forecast map from the service showed.

What People Are Saying

NWS Hastings, Nebraska, on X, formerly Twitter: “Winter Storm Warnings/Watches for south central Nebraska/north central Kansas, in effect from 6 PM Tuesday until 6 PM Wednesday. Warning area: NC KS. Heavy snow is expected, total accumulations between 6-9 inches possible. Watch area: SC NE. Total Snow 5-7 inches.”

NWS Baltimore/Washington, on X: “Snow will overspread the area from SW to NE through the day on Tuesday Snowfall rates will likely be ~ 1″ [inch] per hour Tuesday evening along/south of I-66/US-50.”

NWS Louisville, Kentucky, on X on Monday: “A band of heavy snow is expected to set up roughly along and south of I-64 late tonight into Tuesday morning, with significant accumulations possible. Heavy rain in southern Kentucky may lead to minor flooding.”