Potential Northeast snowstorm coming early next week (with forecast video)

A strong snowstorm could slam parts of the Great Lakes and southern Appalachians early next week, after a relatively quiet weekend. Drivers will likely hit delays across several states, slowing freight flows for a day or two.

Gulf of Mexico moisture will meet up with a cold front to potentially produce heavy snowfall Sunday night into Monday. Exactly which areas will see snow and how intense the storm will be are still up in the air. But all indications as of Friday morning point to a storm that could be significant.

Areas in the probable target zone include northeastern Tennessee; Lexington, Kentucky; Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio; Detroit; and Pittsburgh. Winds could reach 30 mph or more in some areas, leading to possible whiteout conditions. In places where rain changes to snow, roads may become icy as temperatures drop quickly. The storm could linger into Tuesday, spreading into western New York state.

The National Weather Service has not yet issued alerts for this potential storm, but this will likely change later Friday or over the weekend. Look for updates on the FreightWaves website and social media accounts.