To all of the people who spent this summer asking for cold weather to return on social media, I hope you're happy!
The country is bracing for its first major winter storm of the year today, and the National Weather Service says it will be a bad one.
The service is tracking a developing storm which has already brought two inches of rain and strong winds to Southern California.
It's expected to continue moving through the Southern Plains to the Southeast and onto the East Coast this weekend. Throughout the storm's path, forecasts warn of heavy snow, rain, ice, bad road conditions, flash flooding, power outages, and even possible tornadoes.
More than 20 states are affected by the advisory, and travelers should expect major delays on the roads or in hub airports like Charlotte, Atlanta, and Washington.
The news comes as most of the country is already experiencing a major cold snap, with almost all states experiencing freezing temperatures.
With 20s forecast Thursday morning into North Florida -- that makes all Lower 48 states will see below freezing temperatures ... no surprise, it's the first of December. But, this is still at least 10°F colder than normal.
— Ryan Maue | weathermodels.com (@RyanMaue) December 6, 2018
Already below freezing in #Atlanta pic.twitter.com/D9OJpg829s
Another smaller storm blanketed the Northeast in snow on Wednesday, bringing as much as seven inches to some states. Today's storm is only expected add to that in the coming days, as it eventually moves north bringing a foot of snow or more to Appalachia.
Some experts are already predicting that traffic disruptions and school closures from the nasty weather will stretch into next week, so residents in the Northeast should plan accordingly.
Meteorologists are continuing to track the storm's path, and actually say it may not head as far north as they once predicted. Still, it will be important to stay up to date with your local forecast.
It's dreary news if you're in the storm's path, but take heart: the rest of the month is expected to warm up (a little).
