Early winter storm puts 16 million Americans under weather advisories

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By Rich McKay

Dec 1 (Reuters) – A blast of frigid air from Canada is expected to dump up to a foot of snow along a stretch extending from Michigan to central New England and put more than 16 million Americans under winter storm advisories, forecasters said on Monday.

The storm, which was already dropping light snow from Iowa to Kansas on Monday morning, should strengthen as it rolls eastward, said meteorologist Rich Otto of the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. The bad weather, which will affect the Central Plains, Midwest and Northeast, is expected to be at its worst late on Monday into Tuesday.

“This is a preview of winter, and I guess it’s good if you like snow,” Otto said.

The snow may miss some areas east of Interstate 95, a major north-south corridor that hugs the Atlantic Coast, but residents can expect rain and freezing rain in Washington, Philadelphia and Boston, he said.

The wintry blast comes on the heels of a storm that brought more than a foot of snow to parts of the U.S., snarling traffic in Iowa, Indiana, Illinois and parts of the upper Midwest, Otto said.

The Indiana State Police reported on social media that icy roads and poor visibility contributed to a 50-vehicle pile-up on Interstate 70 in Terre Haute on Saturday. Chicago received about 10 inches of snow over the weekend, but is expected to be spared from more until later in the week, forecasters said.

Brandon Buckingham, a forecaster with the private weather service Accuweather, warned that travelers will see worsening road conditions late on Monday through Tuesday night.

“Snow equals travel troubles,” he said.

(Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta; editing by Frank McGurty and Mark Heinrich)