Winter storms have arrived in the nation. The National Weather Service activated a warning in eleven states due to cold and snow that is expected to end early this Tuesday and has put 14 million Americans on alert. This storm began on Sunday, while thousands of citizens returned from vacation after celebrating Thanksgiving Day. That day, the Prediction Center activated several winter storm warnings for upper Michigan as well as certain parts of the Midwest and the Great Lakes region.
The snow, the National Weather Service warned, would be moderate to heavy in several parts of the Southern Rockies and Central Plains, including much of Kansas. There, the agency warned, up to a foot of snow had been recorded in several locations as of Sunday. "Gusty winds and heavy snow will increase hazardous travel conditions," the weather agency said.
The complications continued and in Wichita, a small town in Kansas, the Weather Service issued a warning to drivers alerting them to the poor condition of the roads due to the storm, which had left the roads "snow packed and icy." Given this, experts recommended those who used the car to return home to reduce speed and anticipate that it could take longer than estimated to reach their destination.
Have morning plans today? The majority of roadways across the state remain snow packed and icy. Reduce your speed, increase following distance, and allow extra time to reach your destination. More road condition info can be found at: https://t.co/ZLOdZjxhAT #kswx pic.twitter.com/9tD6JCL8up
— NWS Wichita (@NWSWichita) November 26, 2023
Winter storms approaching New York
However, one of the places where the worst is predicted is not Kansas, but New York. So much so that the governor, Kathy Hochul, issued a statement asking New Yorkers to prepare for the arrival of a storm that could leave between 6 and 12 inches of snow in certain parts of the state:
The most hazardous weather conditions will be in the areas where lake effect snow bands form and produce a lot of snow in a short period, which will hamper travel in some places for the next day or so. There is still some uncertainty where and when snow bands will form and the heaviest snow will fall, so use extra caution when traveling and stay on top of the forecast throughout this event so you can plan your travel and other activities accordingly. My team will monitor this weather system and its impacts throughout this event and are ready to assist partners at the local level as needed.
According to the governor's office, the counties where the alert was activated due to the storm are: Erie, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Wyoming, Oswego, Jefferson and Lewis. All of them will be on alert from this Monday until Tuesday night, when the worst is expected to have passed.
