Winter Storm Saturn: A ‘Snowquester’ Could Lead To Heavy Snow, School Closings For Midwest And East Coast

By Charles Poladian | March 05 2013 10:41 AM

Winter Storm Saturn is expected to make a mess of the Midwest and East Coast thanks to heavy snowfalls. The snowfall is projected for Tuesday evening and to continue overnight into early Wednesday morning. Some areas could expect snowfall accumulations of 10 to 14 inches.

National Weather Center

Winter Storm Saturn is expected to hit the Midwest and East Coast beginning on Wednesday.

Sponsorship Link

Winter storm warnings are in effect for Fauquier, Frederick and Loudoun counties in Washington, D.C., reports the Washington Post. The three counties are expected to get hit with snowfall between 10 and 14 inches with snow falling from 6 p.m. EST until after midnight on Wednesday.

According to the Post’s Matt Rogers, “The Snowquester is coming with its fervent attempt to make a dent in our snow deficit. This is easily the biggest snow threat we’ve seen over the past two winters.” Rogers says the snow will continue to fall throughout Wednesday.

The Eastern part of Minnesota, eastern Iowa, northern sections of Illinois, parts of Wisconsin, western Ohio and northern Indiana are expected to be hit hardest by Winter Storm Saturn, according to the Weather Channel. Areas around Chicago and Indianapolis are expected to get between eight to 12 inches of snow.

Winter Storm Saturn will slowly move east and affect the East Coast as far north as New England. The Weather Channel is expecting a foot of snow for western Virginia, including the region near the Appalachian Mountains, and Garrett County in Maryland. Further north, heavy snowfall is expected to begin on Thursday and to continue until Friday. Boston is expected to get between two to four inches of snow, while New York City is expected to get one to three inches. The Weather Channel forecasts Saturn will dump four to six inches of snow on Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, while other areas could expect higher snowfall totals.

The Weather Channel is expecting plenty of flight cancellations and delays for Washington-Dulles and Reagan National Airport that could also affect Boston, Philadelphia and New York City-area airports. In response to heavy snowfall, many Chicago-area schools have closed. For a full list of school closings in Chicago, head here. There are no reports of school closings in the East Coast, but that will be updated once Winter Storm Saturn arrives on Wednesday night.

Expect more updates on Winter Storm Saturn as it gets closer to the East Coast.