Dangerous Winter Blast
A major winter storm hurled everything from an EF2 tornado to nearly 2 feet of snow in some areas over the holiday weekend, resulting in dozens of accidents, power outages for tens of thousands, and at least two deaths. The storm impacted major cities from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. to Atlanta. As early as Tuesday, AccuWeather forecasters warned about a potential winter storm. The team issued their first snowfall forecast map more than four days before the system’s arrival, ahead of any other weather source, and correctly predicted more than 6 inches of snow across the interior Northeast.
Additional success stories from January 15-17, 2022:
- State College, PA (actual snow: 6.5”): On Wednesday afternoon, AccuWeather initially predicted 6 to 10 inches and never changed the forecast. Other public weather sources, including the National Weather Service, predicted only 4 inches.
- Pittsburgh, PA (Actual Snow: 7”): AccuWeather issued a spot-on forecast, calling for 4 to 8 inches of snow for Pittsburgh on Wednesday afternoon for Sunday night.
- Charlotte, NC, and Greenville, SC (Actual:~1” of sleet and ~0.10 – 0.25” of freezing rain): For days in advance, AccuWeather accurately predicted the potential for significant ice in this region, specifically highlighting the threat of a major ice storm with downed trees and power outages.
- Fort Myers, FL (EF-2 tornado): An EF-2 tornado with dangerous winds of 118 mph struck early Sunday morning. Our meteorologists detected this tornado and provided 16 minutes of advance notice, while other public warnings came out just 3 minutes before touchdown.
Don’t be caught off-guard by rapidly changing weather—partner with us to weather any storm.
AccuWeather For Business forecasts help your protect people and property. Whether it's rain, snow, or severe weather, AccuWeather helps you battle any elements that Mother Nature throws your way. Our groundbreaking forecast tools ensure you stay ahead of any severe threats, all backed by our expert meteorologists and Superior Accuracy™.
Stay safe with SkyGuard® Warnings:
- Proactive, site-specific alerts offer advance warnings well before severe weather impacts occur
- Live one-on-one or group consultation is provided by our weather experts anytime, day or night
- Alerts are delivered in a format that aligns with your organizational emergency management plan
- All-clear notifications are delivered when a threat is over, minimizing weather-related downtime
- All alerts are delivered via push notification from the SkyGuard mobile app, available on Android and iOS
