A significant winter weather system is poised to bring widespread snowfall and sub-zero wind chills across the American Midwest and East Coast this Saturday, with unusually cold temperatures, nearing freezing, also forecast for parts of the South, including typically warm Florida.
In northeastern Ohio, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported a snow squall – characterised by sudden, intense bursts of heavy snow and strong winds – was creating hazardous whiteout conditions.
These squall conditions were moving into the Cleveland metropolitan area on Saturday and are expected to track eastwards into Pennsylvania and parts of eastern New York.
The NWS warned. “Expect visibilities of less than a quarter of a mile and rapid snow accumulation on roadways. Travel will be difficult and possibly dangerous in the heavy snow.”
Below-average temperatures are predicted for the Central and Eastern US throughout the weekend and into early next week.
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The Weather Prediction Center, a division of the NWS, stated on Saturday: “The next few nights are forecast to be very cold for much of the Central and Eastern United States. Sub-zero wind chills are forecast from the Plains to the Midwest and Northeast, with the coldest wind chills expected in the Upper Midwest on Sunday night.” By Sunday night, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island could see up to 10 centimetres (4 inches) of snow.
The cold snap is not confined to the northern states, with Oklahoma, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida all anticipating near-freezing temperatures through at least the weekend.
Tallahassee, Florida, could even experience some snowfall on Sunday morning, according to the NWS. However, any accumulation is expected to be minimal. Kristian Oliver, a meteorologist with the NWS office in Tallahassee, explained: “So here in Tallahassee, the likelihood of any snow accumulation is not zero, but it’s very low. I mean, the ground will be just too warm for anything to stick and accumulate.”
Should Tallahassee receive snow, it would mark the second consecutive year Florida has experienced such winter conditions. In January 2025, parts of the Florida Panhandle saw up to 25 centimetres (10 inches) of snow as part of a record-breaking storm that affected the deep South, including areas unaccustomed to snowfall like Houston and New Orleans. Mr Oliver noted: “On average we have an event like this maybe every few years. But having two, back to back, I’d say is pretty anomalous for the area.”
Further north, central Georgia, south of Atlanta, could see up to 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) of snow on Sunday. The NWS Atlanta office advised: “Plan on slippery roads during the snow, as well as on Sunday night into Monday morning as remaining water/snow refreezes.”
