The planet's northern hemisphere is currently experiencing its winter, and the east coast of the United States seems to be receiving all the fury of what some are already calling "The Blizzard of 2016". Weather warnings have been issued since last week, warning the region's people to prepare for severe cold, heavy snowfall and possibly power outages.

Blizzard alerts are in effect from the Washington DC metropolitan area to New York, spanning over 360 km. The total amount of snow expected to fall between yesterday (22) and Sunday (24) is likely to break records in several of the cities in this region. The weather should only get a little better again tomorrow morning.

Meteorologists are not only concerned with snow, but also with the strong winds that blow the frozen flakes and make visibility on roads virtually nil, greatly increasing the chances of accidents. In addition, the whole situation also coincided with a full moon, which raises the tides in coastal regions, which can suffer from violent sea hangovers and flooding due to the intensity of the wind.

Chart showing expected snowfall this weekend in the US; the closer to yellow the higher the expected amount - Image: NWS EED

In the states of North Carolina and South Carolina, the problem is different but equally complicated. Warmer air from the southern region of the low-pressure blizzard system is causing some of the snow to melt before it hits the ground, causing a snowfall. This turns into partially frozen mud when it accumulates on the ground or in heavy icicles over any structure. Significant damage is already expected from trees and power grids in several cities in these states.

The largest amount of accumulated snow ever recorded in Washington DC to date occurred in January 1922, when approximately 21 inches of snow covered the American capital's streets, houses, and other buildings. Weather projections for the blizzard currently striking the east coast of the United States indicate that there is a high possibility that this record will finally be broken if the weather there remains so inclement.

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