A powerful early-season winter storm is moving through the Northeastern United States, creating hazardous travel and icy conditions for millions Tuesday. A low-pressure system tracking from Pennsylvania into Maine is forecast to drop at least 6 inches of snow in several states and is likely to disrupt the Tuesday evening commute, the National Weather Service said.
Officials warn that parts of the Appalachian region along the Virginia–West Virginia border will experience widespread icing, which could make roads and sidewalks dangerously slick. Maine Gov. Janet Mills urged residents to travel only if necessary, stock emergency supplies at home and in vehicles, and check on neighbors who may need help. Some areas of Down East Maine could receive as much as a foot of snow.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency for five northern counties expected to take the worst of the storm. Federal forecasters said portions of New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine may see at least a half-inch of snow by Wednesday morning.
The heaviest snowfall is expected along a corridor from the Poconos in Pennsylvania to coastal Maine, where 5 to 10 inches are likely and snowfall rates could top an inch per hour. The system is expected to move into Canada by Wednesday morning.
The Northeast storm follows a weekend of significant snow across the Midwest. Northwestern Indiana and northern Illinois received between 6 and 11 inches, and Chicago recorded its largest single-day November snowfall on record. Milwaukee officials declared a snow emergency as totals there ranged roughly from 6 inches to a foot.
Meanwhile, a separate winter system is forecast to bring snow to parts of Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming from Tuesday night through Thursday morning. The National Weather Service office in Boulder warned residents to prepare for a slow, slick and hazardous Wednesday morning commute.
Travelers should expect delays, consider altering plans, and heed local advisories. Keep vehicles fueled and stocked with warm clothing, food, water and emergency supplies, and follow updates from the NWS and state emergency offices as conditions evolve.