A 1,000-mile ‘coast-to-coast’ snow blizzard and deadly ice blitz threatens the ‘worst winter storm in a century’.
As Winter Storm Enzo paralyses roads, flights and transport networks, forecasters warn there is worse to come.
An ‘elongation of the Polar stratospheric Polar Vortex’ dragging in ‘unbearable’ cold winds will leave communities petrified for days in a frozen glaze.
Parts of the country where heavy snow is unusual, including Florida, could see records broken, experts say.
AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter said: “This is a rare, extremely disruptive and dangerous southern winter storm.
“Snow and ice are accumulating in places that have not seen wintry weather in many years.
“Some of these towns have little to no equipment and limited supplies to deal with snow or ice on the roads.
“This is a week of high-impact and dangerous weather from coast to coast.”
Storm Enzo, named by The Weather Channel, brought the first-ever blizzard to southwestern Louisiana, where 35mph gusts whipped up heavy snowfall.
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Road, highway, bridge and airport delays are expected into the weekend as the storm rages.
AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva said: “It’s remarkable to see a blizzard warning in a part of the country typically known for hurricane landfalls and sweltering summer heat.
“Significant sleet, ice and freezing rain are possible on the southern side of this storm from southern Texas to north-eastern Florida and southern Georgia, and the heaviest icing could lead to tree branches snapping and falling on power lines and trigger power outages.
“This could be the biggest winter storm in more than 100 years for some southern communities in the path of the storm.”
The storm will charge eastwards through the week, pushing temperatures in parts to minus 20C.
Records could tumble as bitter winds push thermometers around 30F or more below average for late January.
Weather Channel meteorologist Robb Ellis said: “The cold temperatures will be far-reaching and potentially record breaking.
“Brutal wind chills of 20 to 40 degrees below zero will make the cold feel even more unbearable.”
The cold snap is being driven by an elongation of the Polar stratosphere, the body of cold air over the North Pole.
A huge sea of freezing air above the lower atmosphere sinking across the US could see records fall in southern states.
Aidan McGivern, meteorologist for the UK Met Office, said: “This is quite extreme cold weather and records could be broken.
“The reason behind this is an elongation of the stratospheric Polar Vortex, which is an area of intense cold that sits in the stratosphere.
“It’s elongating into North America, so it is dropping down from the North Pole.”
Storm Enzo is likely to be followed by further volatile weather systems as cold air battles milder air to the far south.
Extreme weather warnings from the US National Weather Service remain in force across southern, eastern and northern states.
Jim Dale, US meteorologist for British Weather Services and co-author of ‘Surviving Extreme Weather’, said: “There will be more than one storm this week, and as the air masses battle, the risk will continue.
“We are looking at multiple storms through the week, and the risk of further snow and very low temperatures.”
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As Winter Storm Enzo paralyses roads, flights and transport networks, forecasters warn there is worse to come.
An ‘elongation of the Polar stratospheric Polar Vortex’ dragging in ‘unbearable’ cold winds will leave communities petrified for days in a frozen glaze.
Parts of the country where heavy snow is unusual, including Florida, could see records broken, experts say.
AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter said: “This is a rare, extremely disruptive and dangerous southern winter storm.
“Snow and ice are accumulating in places that have not seen wintry weather in many years.
“Some of these towns have little to no equipment and limited supplies to deal with snow or ice on the roads.
“This is a week of high-impact and dangerous weather from coast to coast.”
Storm Enzo, named by The Weather Channel, brought the first-ever blizzard to southwestern Louisiana, where 35mph gusts whipped up heavy snowfall.
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Road, highway, bridge and airport delays are expected into the weekend as the storm rages.
AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva said: “It’s remarkable to see a blizzard warning in a part of the country typically known for hurricane landfalls and sweltering summer heat.
“Significant sleet, ice and freezing rain are possible on the southern side of this storm from southern Texas to north-eastern Florida and southern Georgia, and the heaviest icing could lead to tree branches snapping and falling on power lines and trigger power outages.
“This could be the biggest winter storm in more than 100 years for some southern communities in the path of the storm.”
The storm will charge eastwards through the week, pushing temperatures in parts to minus 20C.
Records could tumble as bitter winds push thermometers around 30F or more below average for late January.
Weather Channel meteorologist Robb Ellis said: “The cold temperatures will be far-reaching and potentially record breaking.
“Brutal wind chills of 20 to 40 degrees below zero will make the cold feel even more unbearable.”
The cold snap is being driven by an elongation of the Polar stratosphere, the body of cold air over the North Pole.
A huge sea of freezing air above the lower atmosphere sinking across the US could see records fall in southern states.
Aidan McGivern, meteorologist for the UK Met Office, said: “This is quite extreme cold weather and records could be broken.
“The reason behind this is an elongation of the stratospheric Polar Vortex, which is an area of intense cold that sits in the stratosphere.
“It’s elongating into North America, so it is dropping down from the North Pole.”
Storm Enzo is likely to be followed by further volatile weather systems as cold air battles milder air to the far south.
Extreme weather warnings from the US National Weather Service remain in force across southern, eastern and northern states.
Jim Dale, US meteorologist for British Weather Services and co-author of ‘Surviving Extreme Weather’, said: “There will be more than one storm this week, and as the air masses battle, the risk will continue.
“We are looking at multiple storms through the week, and the risk of further snow and very low temperatures.”
Find Out More...