Over 85 million Americans under cold weather alerts

(NEW YORK) -- Over 85 million Americans are under cold weather alerts over the next few days as arctic air plunges south across the country.

Portions of North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin have an extreme cold warning in effect as wind chills may reach as low as -50°F.

While it won’t be quite that cold farther south, wind chills may be dropping into the teens in cities like Houston and New Orleans early next week.

On Sunday, a developing coastal storm will bring the chance for moderate to heavy snow in several major cities.

Winter storm watches and warnings are in effect for more than 28 million people from the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast on Sunday.

A wide swath of 4 to 8 inches of snowfall is expected from West Virginia to Maine.

New York City is currently forecast to pick up around 3 to 6 inches of snow on Sunday afternoon and into the evening, which could make this the biggest snowstorm in nearly three years for NYC.

As for timing, the bulk of it will be during the afternoon and evening on Sunday, with much of the I-95 corridor from Baltimore to Boston seeing the potential for slick roads.

As the cold snap progresses into the south, there will also be a winter weather potential in cities along the Gulf Coast that don’t often see frozen precipitation, including Houston and New Orleans.

Starting Monday night and continuing through Tuesday, there may be measurable snowfall in Houston, which could create numerous travel issues.

The last time Houston saw 1 inch of snow was back in 2021, but 2008 was the last time they picked up more than 1 inch of snow. New Orleans hasn’t recorded any measurable snow since 2009, and the city hasn’t topped 1 inch of snow since 1963.

It’s too early to determine if they’ll break that streak, but the chance for winter precipitation along the Gulf Coast is real enough that preparations need to be done this weekend ahead of the storm.

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