Cold blast for millions in the East as new storms develop on both coasts

Arctic air is moving over the Great Lakes and the Northeast this morning, bringing bitter cold wind chills and heavy lake effect snow from Michigan to New York.

In Western New York, more than 9 inches of snow fell in Erie County Wednesday due to the lake effect. Roads were slick yesterday and lingering slick spots continue this morning.

Wind chills are in the teens and single digits in the Great Lakes and the Northeast this morning, and it feels like it’s below freezing all the way to Atlanta and Birmingham.

In the meantime, a new storm system is developing in the Gulf Coast today into tomorrow, and it will move up the East Coast Friday into Saturday with heavy rain.

By Friday, the storm system will spread heavy rain from Florida to the Carolinas.

By Friday night into Saturday morning, heavy rain is expected in the Northeast. As this heavy rain falls on existing snow cover and frozen grounds, it could produce flash flooding.

In the west, a series of storms and lots of Pacific moisture will bring heavy rain to the West Coast and heavy snow to the mountains.

Already, seven western states, from Washington to Colorado, are under winter weather alerts for heavy snow.

Snow and rain is already falling in the West this morning, and will continue into the weekend.

Through the weekend, rainfall could reach 2-4 inches in Northern California and Southern Oregon, and snow in the mountains from Washington to Colorado could reach 2-4 feet.