Now Mother Nature is upping the ante with the potential for a crippling ice storm and heavy snowfall.
Winter storm watchers are in effect for nearly 10 million people in more than half a dozen states, from Arkansas to West Virginia.
“The front that brings all this cold air from the Arctic is also bombarding the eastern US with a few wintry spells before it’s all said and done,” said CNN meteorologist Michael Guy.
A series of storms are expected to sweep through the Midwest and Northeast this weekend, leaving another 6 to 12 inches of snow over parts of the Mid-Atlantic Ocean.
With a combination of freezing temperatures in northern cities like Chicago and 80 degrees of heat along the Gulf Coast, the elements are there for a frontal boundary developing in the eastern US later this week.
Models indicate the potential for another round of snow in cities such as Chicago, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, and New York, while significant ice build-ups are possible in parts of the Mid-Mississippi and Ohio Valleys.
Paralyzing ice storm in the making
As much as a half to three-quarters of an inch of ice could build up Wednesday and Thursday in cities like Springfield, Missouri; Evansville, Indiana; and Louisville, Kentucky, leading to region-wide travel problems, broken tree branches, and widespread power outages.
“This winter storm will potentially pose the greatest danger to humans,” says Guy. “The storm will develop by pulling moisture from the Gulf and low development in the lower Mississippi Valley, with rains and storms along the Gulf Coast and icy precipitation in parts of East Texas and Oklahoma.”
The ice storm is expected to start late on Tuesday, with a short pause before round two continues through Wednesday and Thursday.
There is still some uncertainty about who exactly will get the most ice buildup, but the entire region, from Arkansas to West Virginia, faces the threat of ice.
States along the Gulf Coast will be on the warmer side of the storm system.
They will be too warm for ice and snow, but may be affected by showers and thunderstorms that develop during the week and last all weekend.