Winter storm warning as 10 inches of snow to strike: ‘Dangerously cold’

A powerful Arctic front is driving heavy snow, fierce winds and dangerously cold wind chills across a broad swath of the country, prompting winter storm warnings and advisories in 13 states.

The highest totals—up to 10 inches—are expected in the mountains of West Virginia, where winds topping 60 mph could create white‑out conditions late Friday into early Saturday.

“A strong Arctic front will deliver heavy upslope snow showers and squalls, strong winds, and dangerously cold wind chills to the Alleghenies late Friday into Saturday,” the National Weather Service said.

Forecasters warn that visibility may fall below a quarter mile in fast‑moving squalls, with blowing and drifting snow making Friday evening travel difficult or, in some places, treacherous.

West Virginia

Winter storm warnings cover much of the state from late Friday morning through early Saturday, calling for 4 to 8 inches, with locally higher totals along western favored ridges (such as Backbone Mountain, Piney Mountain, and Keysers Ridge). 

The strongest winds are expected in the high terrain, where gusts could reach 55–60 mph, producing dangerous blowing snow. 

Preston and Tucker counties face 5 to 8 inches through 6 a.m. Saturday, while Western Greenbrier County is forecast to see the heaviest totals, up to 10 inches, through 10 a.m. Saturday.

Elsewhere in central, western and southern West Virginia, winter weather advisories continue into early Saturday, with 1 to 4 inches expected and conditions turning slick during the evening commute. Even short trips may become difficult where squalls rapidly cut visibility.

Virginia

Advisories stretch across the southwest mountains—Tazewell, Smyth, Bland, Giles, Grayson, Craig, Alleghany and Bath—from 1 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday. 

Snowfall will range from 1 to 6 inches, strongest along the highest peaks, with winds reaching 60 mph. 

Road conditions will deteriorate quickly in bursts of blowing snow, and the risk of isolated tree damage increases as wind gusts peak. 

Western Highland County holds the same advisory period with 2 to 4 inches expected.

Maryland

Garrett County remains under a winter storm warning from 10 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday, with 6 to 8 inches and gusts of 50–60 mph likely to create significant drifting. 

Travel could be especially hazardous on high‑elevation stretches of I‑68. 

In Extreme Western Allegany County, an advisory from 1 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday brings 2 to 4 inches and similar winds.

Pennsylvania

The Laurel Highlands—Cambria and Somerset counties—sit under an advisory from 10 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday, with 2 to 4 inches and gusts up to 55 mph, especially west of US‑219. 

Higher ridges may see up to 8 inches. Additional advisories cover the higher elevations of Westmoreland, Fayette and Indiana counties through early Saturday.

Farther north, Crawford, Northern Erie and Southern Erie counties face 2 to 5 inches under advisories lasting 7 a.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday, with blowing snow reducing visibility into the evening.

Ohio

A wide advisory footprint runs from Cincinnati through Dayton and Columbus from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, bringing 1 to 2 inches and slick travel during both commutes. 

Across northeast Ohio—including Cleveland, Lake, Ashtabula, Summit and Portage counties—advisories continue from 7 a.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday, with 2 to 4 inches and gusts up to 45 mph. Squalls Friday evening could quickly produce snow‑covered roads and sudden drops in visibility.

New York

Much of western New York, including Niagara, Orleans, Erie, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties, remains under advisories from 7 a.m. Friday to 7 p.m. Saturday for 3 to 6 inches and areas of blowing snow.

Along the Lake Ontario shoreline and inland zones from Monroe to Oswego and Ontario counties, advisories run 1 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Sunday, with 4 to 7 inches expected as lake‑effect bands redevelop behind the front.

Farther east, Eastern Rensselaer County enters an advisory 7 p.m. Friday to 7 p.m. Saturday for 3 to 5 inches, highest on the Rensselaer Plateau.

Michigan

In the Upper Peninsula, lake‑effect snow continues through 10 a.m. Friday in Keweenaw, Ontonagon, Northern Houghton and Gogebic counties with up to 3 inches and 40 mph gusts.

Marquette County’s advisory runs to 10 a.m., while Alger County continues until 7 p.m. with 1 to 4 inches and widespread blowing snow.

In the Lower Peninsula—from Muskegon and Grand Rapids through Lansing, Jackson and Kalamazoo—advisories are in effect until 1 p.m. Friday for light snow and a thin glaze of ice, making the morning commute hazardous. 

A separate overnight advisory covered parts of northern Lower and eastern Upper Michigan through early Friday.

North Carolina

Avery, Madison, Mitchell and Yancey counties remain under advisories from 1 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday, where 1 to 4 inches will fall across most elevations, with 7 inches possible along the Tennessee border. 

Wind gusts between 60 and 75 mph along the highest ridgelines may bring down branches and create periods of drifting snow.

Kentucky

From Lexington and Frankfort to surrounding counties, advisories run 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday for up to 1 inch, with isolated 2‑inch totals. 

In northeast Kentucky, an advisory from 7 a.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday brings 1 to 3 inches. 

Southeastern counties—Harlan, Letcher and Pike—remain under advisories from 10 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday, with 1 to 2 inches in lower elevations and 2 to 4 inches above 2,000 feet.

Indiana

East‑central and southeast Indiana, including Wayne, Fayette, Franklin, Ripley, Dearborn, Ohio and Switzerland counties, hold advisories from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday with 1 to 2 inches of snow. Jefferson County is under a separate advisory 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with similar impacts.

Tennessee

In the mountains of east Tennessee—including Johnson, Unicoi and the higher Smokies—an advisory runs 1 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday. 

Snowfall of 1 to 4 inches is expected above 2,500 feet, with the highest peaks seeing more than 4 inches and travel becoming hazardous in bursts of blowing snow.

Vermont

Bennington County is under an advisory from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 p.m. Saturday with 3 to 5 inches likely, especially across the southern Greens.

Alaska

The Pribilof Islands remain under an advisory until 7 a.m. Friday AKST for a wintry mix with up to 2 inches of snow and a light glaze. 

In the Kuskokwim Delta, an advisory runs 3 a.m. to noon Friday for light snow and freezing rain affecting travel between Kipnuk, Bethel and Quinhagak.