Winter storm may brew across eastern US with snow, ice and rain prior to New Year’s Day

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After a white Christmas unfolded from the Midwest to the Northeast, wintry weather may once again take shape during the final days of 2017 with the threat also encompassing the southern United States.

Snow is expected to sweep across the Midwest later this week, while the South braces for treacherous ice as two storms cross the country. How these storms interact will determine the snow threat for the Northeast by next weekend.

The far-reaching arctic blast gripping the central and eastern U.S. this week will put a large swath of the South at risk for ice, dangerous travel and possible power outages.

"If the storm tracks far enough to the north, ice may unfold from near Shreveport, Louisiana to Atlanta, Columbia, South Carolina, and Fayetteville, North Carolina, from Thursday to Friday," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said.

Enough cold air may be also present for ice along the coast of the Carolinas, including in Charleston, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina.

"Even a glaze of ice can cause untreated roads and sidewalks to become extremely slippery and hazardous for motorists and those traveling by foot," Pydynowski said. "This includes on stretches of interstates 20, 26, 40, 59, 85 and 95."

Post-Christmas air travelers may face cancellations.

Areas farther north would receive mainly snow. Rain is expected south of the ice, but it does not appear that any widespread severe weather will occur.

"Only if the storm remains so far suppressed to the south and avoids connecting with the subfreezing cold air would the South escape the wintry mess," Pydynowski added.

As this stormy weather unfolds in the South, another weak storm to the north may allow snow to return to the Plains and Midwest on Thursday and Friday, according to AccuWeather Long Range Meteorologist Max Vido.

Enough snow to create slick travel on roads and cause flight delays is expected in Minneapolis, Chicago and Detroit.

The interaction of these two storms will determine how the Northeast will be impacted Friday into Saturday.

“The potential for a more substantial snowfall will be possible across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast if the northern storm links up with the southern storm,” Vido said.

Lesser impacts are possible should the two storms fail to interact and the southern storm tracks eastward out to sea. However, a stronger interaction of the two could form a nor'easter along or just off the Atlantic coast.

The latter scenario could increase snow potential from Washington, D.C., to New York City and Boston.

“Timing will be essential to whether or not this region has a significant winter storm,” Vido said. “Nevertheless, the bountiful cold will mean that people somewhere will likely see a return to wintry weather before the new year.”