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Powerful Storm Brings Everything from Severe Weather to Heavy Snow to the East Coast

February 7, 2020

February 07, 2020

The NOAA-20 satellite viewed a low pressure system in the Mid-Atlantic region as it moved into the Northeast on Feb. 6, 2020.

On Feb. 6, 2020, the NOAA-20 satellite viewed a strengthening low pressure system in the Mid-Atlantic region as it moved into the Northeast. According to NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS), the storm was expected to bring “heavy snow of over a foot for northern New York and New England…[and] freezing rain” for parts of Pennsylvania and New York.

Farther south, a tornado watch was put into effect v on Feb. 6 in the areas of Charleston, SC., coastal Georgia, and northern Florida for thunderstorms that caused downed trees and obstructed roadways. An updated hazardous weather outlook issued on Feb. 7 for the southeast North Carolina/northeast South Carolina region requests that residents of the area to anticipate additional hazards for the next few days, as “west winds will gust up to 40 mph, coupled with wet soils, [and] could result in falling trees.”

Severe thunderstorms moved through the city of Leesburg, Va. on the morning of Feb. 7, causing extensive damage. There were downed trees and damaged homes due to the showers and storms that moved through the area, which created debris that blocked roads and access for residents. The high winds came behind the low pressure system’s cold front, with gusts that reached speeds of 46 mph in Leesburg. As a precaution, the NWS has issued wind advisories for winds and gusts of up to 55 mph that could lash locations throughout the Eastern Seaboard.

The NWS anticipates winter weather conditions will intensify once the low moves along the East Coast, impacting travel and road conditions. Drivers are encouraged to exercise caution on the roads and avoid driving through windy or flooded areas; otherwise, such conditions could cause property damage, hydroplaning, and loss of car control.

This image was captured by the NOAA-20 satellite's VIIRS instrument , which scans the entire Earth twice per day at a 750-meter resolution. Multiple visible and infrared channels allow it to detect atmospheric aerosols, such as dust, smoke, and haze associated with industrial pollution and fires. The polar-orbiting satellite circles the globe 14 times daily and captures a complete daytime view of our planet once every 24 hours. Images taken by the VIIRS sensor during each orbit are then merged together to create image mosaics of larger regions, like the one used here.