Dangerous cold and major snowstorm to hit Rhode Island through early next week

The National Weather Service says a powerful stretch of extreme winter weather will impact Rhode Island in multiple phases, beginning Friday night and continuing into early next week.

Ahead of the weekend storm, strong winds and dangerous cold will move in overnight. Wind gusts could exceed 35 mph at times, particularly across higher elevations, worsening already frigid conditions.

A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect Friday night into Saturday morning for much of the state. Forecasters say wind chill values could fall between -10 and -20 degrees by Saturday morning, creating a risk for frostbite and hypothermia with prolonged exposure.

Looking ahead, attention then turns to a major winter storm expected Sunday into Monday. Snow is forecast to begin Sunday morning into early afternoon, becoming heavier Sunday night through early Monday. The Weather Service is forecasting 12 to 18 inches of snow across much or all of Rhode Island, with the highest impacts expected overnight.

Light to moderate snow may linger through much of Monday before tapering off. There remains uncertainty along the South Coast, where sleet or mixed precipitation could reduce snowfall totals.

Travel is expected to be very difficult, especially Sunday night into Monday morning, when snowfall rates may be highest and road conditions could deteriorate rapidly.