Todays Weather Brings Heavy Snow to East Coast
The storm's impact is widespread, with hundreds of public school districts canceling classes or switching to online learning, and events and activities being canceled, including a series of fundraising polar plunges in Kansas, as the region braces for significant snow and ice accumulations.
A powerful winter storm is hitting the East Coast, with up to 10 inches of snow expected in Virginia and significant ice accumulations in eastern North Carolina, causing hundreds of accidents and leading to school and business closures in the Hampton Roads region.
The National Weather Service has warned of snowfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour in the Hampton Roads area and northeastern North Carolina, with Virginia State Police reporting 275 accidents by late Wednesday afternoon. The storm is part of a larger cold wave affecting the eastern United States, with temperatures plunging from Montana to southern Texas.
The storm is also hitting areas that have already experienced flooding, including Kentucky, where a half-foot or more of snow was expected. In southern West Virginia, weekend floods killed three people and destroyed roads and public water systems, with shelters remaining open at churches and schools. The storm is expected to continue through Thursday, with snowfall totals expected to reach 8-9 inches in Norfolk.
The travel industry is also being affected, with nearly 5,600 flights canceled or delayed across the US, including over 400 in and out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina. Winter Storm Kingston is sweeping through the Appalachians, bringing heavy snow and ice to parts of Virginia and North Carolina, with winter storm warnings in effect from Kentucky to the East Coast.
As the storm is expected to taper off by Thursday, residents are advised to stay off the roads and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety, with potential refreezing of melted ice or snow possible on Friday morning.
