January 2026 winter storm

[bugo]

There is a low pressure system off the coast of southern California that is expected to impact a large portion of the country from northern Montana to Texas to the Carolinas and north into Ohio and Pennsylvania. Snow, freezing rain, sleet and rain are all possible, and the temperature is expected to drop below zero as far south as Texas early Monday morning. This is going to be a potent storm that will cause a lot of damage, especially to the places that will get mostly freezing rain. The Mississippi Delta is expected to take the brunt of the ice storm.

Are you in the path of the storm? If so, what kind of weather are you expected to get? We're supposed to get a lot of sleet and possibly some freezing rain and snow. Hopefully it will be more sleet and less freezing rain.

[74/171FAN]

Thankfully for us the cold should keep the 1-2 feet of snow fluffy, but I even saw the potential for some sleet/freezing rain in the NWS forecast to maybe sneak in here.

[Rothman]

Storm feels overhyped.  A foot or so expected around these parts.

[Mapmikey]

Expecting 12-18" here, mostly snow.  I'm supposed to be catching cruise ship in Baltimore on Sunday.  I can get up there before it starts snowing Saturday night, but getting to the port will be a challenge in what could be 9" of snow by then...

[vdeane]

Storm feels overhyped.  A foot or so expected around these parts.

The preliminary snow map on tonight's news had 10-16 inches around here.  They're saying some times could have an inch or two of snow per hour.  Given the arctic cold, I don't think road salt is going to be very effective, which is going to compound the regular impacts of that kind of snow.

I wonder if the state will be giving a snow day, given that it's expected to impact the Monday morning commute.  They already postponed Sunday's civil service tests.

[Road Hog]

The early forecasts looked apocalyptic, but now it looks more like a 6" snow for us with some ice at the start, but it should be too warm for a lot of that ice to stick.

Basically a carbon copy of the last big storm a year ago. That was a big snow for us but not a disaster.

[Ted$8roadFan]

If the projections hold, it will be the biggest winter storm for us since January 2022. Can't believe it's been that long.

[ZLoth]

Just posted by the NWS in DFW:

[ZLoth]

The early forecasts looked apocalyptic, but now it looks more like a 6" snow for us with some ice at the start, but it should be too warm for a lot of that ice to stick.

Basically a carbon copy of the last big storm a year ago. That was a big snow for us but not a disaster.

I hope. From what I've observed, this is the annual "we getting snow" that lasts a day or so, then warms up again. This wouldn't be a problem for places up north that have snow plows and salting machines as part of the city's equipment list. But, in DFW, the only snow removal equipment is at the two commercial airports. The best plan is to stay home.

The fortunate part is that I'm on the same circuit as the major medical center. Still, I know where the nearest warming centers are should we lose power.

[kphoger]

The early forecasts looked apocalyptic, but now it looks more like a 6" snow for us with some ice at the start, but it should be too warm for a lot of that ice to stick.

Basically a carbon copy of the last big storm a year ago. That was a big snow for us but not a disaster.

Our weather is supposed to get very cold before the snow even starts, and then it's supposed to stay very cold for a while.  Hopefully, that means the first snowfall won't be able to melt and then freeze, but instead we'll have a bunch of dry fluff on the ground.  And hopefully it also means the sun won't be able to do too much melting before the subsequent re-freeze.

[1995hoo]

For us the initial snow predictions of 10 to 15 inches have dropped slightly, but I think most of us would rather have the snow. The reason the snow predictions have dropped is that the latest forecasts have it changing over to sleet and then freezing rain on Sunday afternoon. Most recent forecast I saw was for 6 to 10 inches of snow followed by a couple of hours of sleet, followed by freezing rain. And then the overnight temperatures for most of next week are supposed to be in the single digits, with daytime highs below freezing, so we won't get much melting.

Last night the weatherman on TV ended his discussion by noting that while it's too early to project anything, there are indications of another possible storm late next week. One of the anchors (who does not like big snowstorms) promptly stuck her fingers in her ears.

[74/171FAN]

For us the initial snow predictions of 10 to 15 inches have dropped slightly, but I think most of us would rather have the snow. The reason the snow predictions have dropped is that the latest forecasts have it changing over to sleet and then freezing rain on Sunday afternoon. Most recent forecast I saw was for 6 to 10 inches of snow followed by a couple of hours of sleet, followed by freezing rain. And then the overnight temperatures for most of next week are supposed to be in the single digits, with daytime highs below freezing, so we won't get much melting.

Last night the weatherman on TV ended his discussion by noting that while it's too early to project anything, there are indications of another possible storm late next week. One of the anchors (who does not like big snowstorms) promptly stuck her fingers in her ears.

Considering I need a paying adult for my free birthday meal at Shady Maple, I feel the same way.

[ET21]

Will be curious to see how it truly unfolds, but could be the most impactful winter storm since the infamous 2021 that shut down Texas for awhile

[thspfc]

Storm feels overhyped.  A foot or so expected around these parts.

The world extends beyond your front door. Nobody cares about upstate New York getting a foot. What is notable is VA/NC/TN/AR/OK getting similar amounts.

[Rothman]

Storm feels overhyped.  A foot or so expected around these parts.

The world extends beyond your front door. Nobody cares about upstate New York getting a foot. What is notable is VA/NC/TN/AR/OK getting similar amounts.

Eh, if they actually get it, they were overdue for one of these, anyway.

[webny99]

they were overdue for one of these, anyway.

Heck, I would argue upstate NY is due for one of these too. Outside of the heaviest lake effect areas, it seems like ages since we had a proper region-wide snowstorm. And those of us south of Ontario/Erie might get some bonus lake effect with this one too.

[vdeane]

they were overdue for one of these, anyway.

Heck, I would argue upstate NY is due for one of these too. Outside of the heaviest lake effect areas, it seems like ages since we had a proper region-wide snowstorm. And those of us south of Ontario/Erie might get some bonus lake effect with this one too.

We are.  The local meteorologists said that this is the strongest storm we've gotten since ~2021 (and the storm in December was the strongest since 2022 or 2023).  Last winter's weather was more notable for flash freezes than snow quantity.

[kphoger]

The forecast on Weather Underground is now down to 5.8 inches total here in Wichita.

[1995hoo]

My mother went to the Wegmans just west of Fairfax City this afternoon (not the same location I hit last night). She sent this picture taken right around 12:00. Glad I got our shopping done yesterday.

[The_Ginger]

My mother went to the Wegmans just west of Fairfax City this afternoon (not the same location I hit last night). She sent this picture taken right around 12:00. Glad I got our shopping done yesterday.

That's how it is here. Milk, TP, and eggs.

[1995hoo]

I didn't check the TP aisle because I don't use it. I kind of wish I had, though, just to see whether it was cleaned out.

[The_Ginger]

It just so happens that the Mid-Ohio Valley is right at the split of the snow and ice line in this storm.

In Ravenswood's case, I predict a base of 4" snow and 0.75" ice. The rest of the totals are a mystery. I know it will be 4-7" more, but weather (pun intended) we get snow or ice is beyond me. The storm could shift south, giving us more snow, or shift north, giving us more ice.

I do think that it is confirmed full snow north of US-50 and east of I-77.

[kphoger]

My mother went to the Wegmans just west of Fairfax City this afternoon (not the same location I hit last night). She sent this picture taken right around 12:00. Glad I got our shopping done yesterday.

We usually go grocery shopping on Saturday mornings.  I decided to risk it this week and stay on schedule, hoping that people would wipe out the shelves on Thursday and Friday, but then they'd be restocked Friday night and nobody would be out shopping with us in the middle of the snowstorm the next morning.  We'll see how it goes.  It's quite the gamble.

[NWI_Irish96]

My mother went to the Wegmans just west of Fairfax City this afternoon (not the same location I hit last night). She sent this picture taken right around 12:00. Glad I got our shopping done yesterday.

We usually go grocery shopping on Saturday mornings.  I decided to risk it this week and stay on schedule, hoping that people would wipe out the shelves on Thursday and Friday, but then they'd be restocked Friday night and nobody would be out shopping with us in the middle of the snowstorm the next morning.  We'll see how it goes.  It's quite the gamble.

Only supposed to get 3-5 inches of snow here because we're north of the storm, but we are right in the midst of being at or below zero for about 30 straight hours so I went to the grocery store yesterday to make sure we had everything we needed so we could just stay inside today. Kids had an e-learning day due to the temps/wind chill.

[wxfree]

I'm in the DFW area and we're expecting freezing rain and sleet.  It sucks that it isn't snow, but that's normal for us.  We get ice, people think they can drive in it and then get in wrecks, it's business as usual.  To me, the bigger story is the cold.  Some areas will be below freezing for over 3 days, from tonight until Tuesday afternoon, with lows near or below zero on Monday.  This is as cold as it ever gets here.  The record for my lifetime, and the past 125 years, is -2, and we'll be not far from that, with another one or two days with lows not in the double digits.  In addition, the forecast now has the "warm-up" next week keeping highs in the 30s and 40s with lows in the teens and low 20s all the way to next Friday.  That part of it could be the coldest part of a winter here.