High-impact snowstorm to hit northern states later this week

Winds will be an issue, with sustained speeds of 20 to 30 mph and gusts up to 40 mph. While this won’t likely turn into a major blizzard, the combination of snow and wind will be intense enough at times to create hazardous travel environments on the roads, in the air and on the tracks due to blowing and drifting snow and occasional whiteout conditions. Road closures are a good bet; freighters and passenger planes carrying belly cargo could be grounded for a while. Loading and unloading of freight at intermodal ramps will be difficult.

Some areas will turn icy as freezing rain develops along the transition line between rain to the south and snow to the north. It’s still a bit too soon to know precisely where the band of freezing rain will set up, but right now it looks like it could run through places such as Omaha, Nebraska; Kansas City, Missouri; Des Moines, Iowa; Erie and State College in Pennsylvania; Syracuse, New York; and maybe parts of the Chicago area. Ice buildup, paired with the gusty winds, would result in scattered power outages and roadblocks due to downed tree limbs and utility lines.

Carriers, shippers and brokers who subscribe to FreightWaves SONAR can use the Critical Events platform, like the map above, as a single, comprehensive way to track high-impact weather events. Forecast details, assets at risk and official weather alerts are just some of the resources included in the one-screen snapshot of the situation. Get more information by requesting a demo here.

We will continue to post updates of the forecast on the FreightWaves website and our social media accounts.