US blizzard watch: Major winter storm expected to hit East Coast

A severe winter storm is expected to hit the northeast of the US, with the mid-Atlantic region predicted to experience the brunt of the storm. Snow accumulation of up to two feet are expected in Baltimore and Washington, while New York City could see over six inches.

Baltimore and Washington DC

The National Weather Service issued a blizzard watch for the DC metro region on 20 January for a potential blinding combination of snow and strong winds. "Potential life-threatening conditions expected Friday night into Saturday night," the service announced. "Travel is expected to be severely limited if not impossible during the height of the storm Friday night and Saturday."

The blizzard watch warned of a coating of an inch of snow on Wednesday (20 January) and the potential of a foot or more of snow Friday (22 January) through Saturday (23 January). "Conditions are expected to deteriorate Friday afternoon with the heaviest snow," the watch warned.

According to The Weather Channel, at least a foot of snow is probable from the Appalachians in eastern Kentucky into West Virginia, all but southeastern Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, northern Delaware and northwestern North Carolina. These areas have the potential of seeing over 20 inches of total snowfall.

The National Weather Service's lead meteorologist Rich Otto told ABC News that the snowfall in this region had the "potential" to be of historic proportions.

Northeast

The northern East Coast region is also likely to see some snowfall, although not as high as in the mid-Atlantic. According to ABC News, while it is unclear how much snow cities like Boston and New York could see, "it is becoming increasingly likely that over six inches of snow will fall in the New York City area." That prediction includes the 1-95 corridor northward through New York City and out to Long Island.

The Weather Channel noted that east-central Pennsylvania up to southern New England could see snowfall exceeding six inches, but that "uncertainty [is] still high. Flooding will also be a potential issue in New Jersey, Long Island and southern New England.

New Jersey and Long Island have the strongest wind potential with occasional gusts of up to 60 mph. Strong winds in the New York City area could gust 30 to 50 mph. Temperatures throughout the East Coast will likely stay in the upper 20s to lower 30s during the storm, according to ABC News.

"We are just now at the point [of the winter] where the air is cold enough with the ongoing storms to awaken a sleeping giant in terms of a snowstorm," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek said, according to The Independent.