Another major storm has emerged across the Central and into the East U.S. for mid-to-late week featuring a swath of heavy snow, ice, heavy rains and following bitter cold. Of special importance is the risk of heavy icing tomorrow from near Memphis, TN to the southeast Ohio Valley.

The deep cold of mid-winter becomes choppy the first half of February maintaining above normal national heating demand for the U.S. However, later February the U.S. pattern shifts warmer.

The 12Z GFS indicates a long-duration snowfall event along and trailing a cold front which shifts eastward slowly this week. The snow begins tomorrow night in the south/east Great Plains and stretches to the Ohio Valley and then eastward into New England for later this week. GFS grinds out 1-2 feet of snow across this large area - which is likely excessive, but the model certainly makes its point.

Traditionally, a “bomb cyclone” is a low-pressure system deepening (strengthening) by more than 24 MB over a 24-hour period. The definition usually applies to middle/upper middle latitude. Although a “bomb cyclone” is not a tropical cyclone, these systems can reach category-1 hurricane force on the Saffir Simpson Scale.