A potentially crippling snow and ice storm could hit the U.S. South and Mid-Atlantic region this weekend. The meteorological setup is one that has the attention of meteorologists like me. Here’s what we know right now about this emerging major winter storm.

Winter storms of this potential magnitude can happen in the South, but they need a perfect set of conditions, including a deep penetration of cold air. The U.S. South will have no problem meeting that requirement. NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center wrote Tuesday morning, "All model guidance shows arctic air making it down to the Gulf and East Coasts, which will clash with southern stream energy to produce a high impact winter storm across the southern tier."

However, it is important to note that there are still some model differences that need assessment. NOAA WPC went on to say, "However, some model differences still exist with the details of both the southern and northern stream energy. These........

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