The FOX Forecast Center is tracking a dangerous mix of heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain heading through the Great Lakes and aiming for New England to end the workweek.
Freezing rain is expected across Rochester, New York, Burlington, Vermont, and Portland, Maine. Boston may even see freezing rain, too, leading to icy conditions for the evening drive.
SNOW, SLEET, FREEZING RAIN AND HAIL: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Just in time for the morning commute, the frosty mix moves in on Friday before sunrise to northern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The thickest ice will be along the U.S./Canadian border.
THE HIDDEN DANGERS OF ICE STORMS. HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Up to a quarter inch of ice could accrete on roadways, which is more than enough to snarl the commute. Overpasses and bridges freeze first, making unsafe driving conditions at night.
Up to a quarter inch of ice accretion is possible through Friday.
WHY DO OVERPASSES AND BRIDGES FREEZE BEFORE ROADS?
HOW MUCH ICE IS NEEDED TO KNOCK OUT POWER, DAMAGE TREES?
The quarter-inch of ice coating will weigh down power lines and tree branches, taking some of them down and potentially leading to major power outages.
Much of the area will also get about an inch of snow on top of the ice as colder air moves in later in the day. Extreme northern New York and Vermont could see up to 3 inches, along with central Maine.
Northern Maine, though, will need to have the plows ready. Houlton can expect 5 to 8 inches of snow, while Caribou is in for up to a foot of snow.
The system will move out Friday night into Saturday morning.