‘As the mild air mass clashes with frigid air farther north, the ingredients for a major ice storm are expected,’ warns meteorologist. Forecasters are warning that a major ice storm could hit the Midwest and Northeast U.S. this week, possibly bringing sleet and freezing rain. Warm, humid air from the south is set to collide with arctic air coming from the north amid the eastward movement of a low-pressure system, which could lead to snow and dangerous ice conditions.

"As the mild air mass clashes with frigid air farther north, the ingredients for a major ice storm are expected to be in place beginning Wednesday across a zone spanning from the Midwest to the Great Lakes,” warned AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham. The storm system is then set to bring snow and ice by Thursday to the Northeast and mid-Atlantic. As much as a quarter inch of ice is expected across Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio, according to AccuWeather.

Meanwhile, between one and three inches of snow are expected to hit parts of northeastern Pennsylvania, eastern New York, northern Connecticut, western and central Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. In higher elevations, up to six inches of snow is possible. The incoming ice could make road conditions dangerous on Interstates 80 and 94. In cities such as Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, which are located along I-95, a shorter period of ice will likely be followed by rain.

The Midwest and the Northeast could also face power outages, with the ice set to be followed by strong winds. Gusts of up to 50 mph are expected to strike the Great Lakes on Thursday. On Friday, gusts of more than 30 mph are possible in the Northeast. AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter sarned that a “light glaze of ice can create treacherous driving conditions on bridges, highways, and ramps in a matter of seconds.”.

A “half inch of ice accumulation can add 500 pounds of extra weight or more to power lines. Tree branches coated in ice can snap and fall on power lines,” he added. This might give way to a stormy February for large parts of the region. A second winter storm may bring snow and ice in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes to parts of the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast as soon as Saturday. Accuweather noted that a third storm may come early next week, with “the potential of colder air and more moisture that could bring snow and icy impacts to a larger area.”.