This Winter Storm Might Ruin Your 2022 Holiday Plans

If a nasty case of COVID, RSV or the flu isn’t holding you back from going home for the holidays, below-freezing temperatures and nasty winter weather could make travel extra difficult this week. According to The New York Times, the National Weather Service is expecting a powerful winter storm to affect the Central Appalachians, eastern Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast later this week. After keeping an eye on the weather this weekend, we knew we were in for a bitterly cold Christmas, but the precipitation woes are a new development as of yesterday.

People in the Northeast and Midwest aren’t the only ones who can expect to bust out their warmest parkas later this week. Even Texas, the Gulf Coast and Florida might see below-freezing temperatures as the blast of arctic air moves through the country. The frigid weather is expected to move eastward from the Rocky Mountains in the middle of the week.

Meteorologists are predicting that a winter storm will develop alongside the cold, sending heavy winds, rain and snow through the Central Appalachians, eastern Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. This shitstorm of a weather system could make travel pretty treacherous, especially because the extra cold temps mean ice and snow won’t melt as quickly, making it much more difficult to clear the roads. But annoyingly for some, East Coast cities like New York and D.C. probably won’t even get a white Christmas, as the storm is expected to pass on Thursday and Friday as a “rain event” before temperatures drop in time for the weekend.

We certainly hope the weather predictions are wrong this time around. But if you are stuck at home this week, it’s definitely a good time to make a big pot of chili, lounge around in your PJs and binge watch Christmas specials.