A system dubbed Winter Storm Blair has been forecast to hit the United States this weekend from January 4 to January 6, 2025. The National Weather Service (NWS) warns that this storm has the potential to deliver heavy snow and ice throughout the Mid-Atlantic, impacting states from Kansas to New Jersey. While the amount of snowfall is not expected to be severe, the combination of sleet, freezing rain, and ice can create dangerous situations on the road. Here’s when Winter Storm Blair is projected to impact the US and how much snow is expected to drop.
When will Winter Storm Blair hit the US?
Winter Storm Blair will hit the United States the most starting on Saturday, January 4, and will continue through to Monday, January 6, as it moves east across the country.
This is according to the NWS and The Weather Channel, which has called this winter storm “Blair” (winter storms are not officially named like hurricanes are). While the storm is projected to bring rain and mountain snow to the Pacific Northwest on Friday, it will become more dangerous by Saturday as it emerges from the Rockies.
The NWS predicts the storm will deliver at least 6 inches of snow, with 60 to 80% certainty, in the Central Plains and Mississippi Valley. Weather expert Ryan Hall says in a report on Thursday that a quarter-inch of ice is possible of forming within these regions.
- Saturday – Winter Storm Blair is forecast to bring snow from Wyoming to Illinois, with ice forming from central Kansas through Missouri. Meanwhile, rain is likely to fall from Oklahoma to Tennessee.
- Sunday – The storm will move through the Appalachian Mountains, bringing snow as far west as Nebraska to as far as east as West Virginia. A mix of snow and ice is expected to drop from Missouri to Kentucky and parts of Tennessee, while states further south will be pelted with additional rainfall.
- Monday – The system is expected to reach the East Coast. Though it’s still too early to predict snow and ice totals, it is recommended that residents in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and North Carolina check on the progress of the winter storm.
That said, the NWS says there is uncertainty as to the path and timing of the winter storm and that it anticipates further changes to the forecast. Ryan Hall remarks that the storm is difficult to predict, particularly which zones will receive snow, ice, or rain. But various models show that about 6 inches to 1 foot of snow could accumulate in cities like St. Louis, Dayton, and Indianapolis by January 10.
