Heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain are expected across the Midwest and Northeast starting on Wednesday, with the first of two winter storms likely resulting in "significant" ice accumulation in some areas and impacting travel, according to the National Weather Service.
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Winter weather advisories have been issued for parts of 19 states, including areas in northwestern Oklahoma, eastern Nebraska, northern Arkansas, southern Iowa, northern Illinois, southern and northwestern Wisconsin, northeastern Minnesota, northern Indiana, southern Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, northern Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, southern Vermont and Rhode Island. A winter storm watch has been issued for Upper Michigan, while an ice storm warning has been issued for parts of western Pennsylvania, eastern West Virginia and northern Virginia.
Major airlines have issued travel advisories across the Northeast and Midwest, as some flights may face cancellations or delays. Delta Airlines issued advisories for 29 airports across the Central and Eastern U.S. for Wednesday and Friday, including New York City's LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport as well as Chicago O'Hare International Airport. American Airlines has issued travel alerts for Philadelphia International Airport and New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport, among others. United Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines have also each issued travel advisories.
A second winter storm is expected to begin Thursday and persist through the weekend, forecasters said. Snowfall will begin in California's Sierra Nevada before reaching the northern Rocky Mountains on Friday. The storm will likely reach the Great Lakes, the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast by Saturday, impacting a region from Minneapolis to Boston, where several inches of snow are expected.