If you’ve been looking at the sky lately, it's pretty clear that winter finally decided to stop playing around. For the last few weeks, it’s been that weird, slushy "is it raining or is it snowing?" kind of mess. But as we head into this Sunday, January 18, 2026, the maps are looking a lot more serious. Everyone is asking the same thing: how many inches of snow on sunday are we actually going to see?
Honestly, the answer depends entirely on whether you’re sitting in a coffee shop in Minneapolis or trying to catch a flight out of Philly. We’ve got a massive surge of Arctic air pushing down from the Dakotas, and it’s running smack into a developing system coming off the coast. It’s a classic winter setup. Cold air is the fuel; moisture is the engine.
The Upper Midwest: A "Clipper" Sunday
In places like Minnesota and Wisconsin, the story isn't about one giant blizzard. It’s about the "clippers." These are fast-moving systems that don't always drop a foot of snow, but they make the roads a nightmare because the temperatures are so low that the snow just sticks instantly.
According to the latest 3km NAM models from the National Weather Service, northern and eastern Minnesota are looking at a steady accumulation through Sunday evening. You're probably looking at 1 to 3 inches across the Twin Cities and stretching into western Wisconsin.
It doesn't sound like much. But when the wind chill is hitting -20°F, that light dusting turns into a sheet of ice on I-94. The "fluff factor" is high here. Because it's so cold, the snow is dry and airy, meaning it blows around the second you try to shovel it.
The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast: The Coastal Surprise
This is where things get kinda tricky. For the folks in Baltimore, DC, and Philly, Saturday was a bit of a slush-fest. But Sunday is when the coastal low starts to flex.
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Meteorologists, including Justin Berk, have been tracking a low-pressure system forming further south. This thing is expected to hug the coast. If you are in Delmarva or near the Jersey beaches, Sunday morning could start with a surprise coating.
- Coastal Delaware and NJ: A quick 1 to 2 inches is likely as the back edge of the storm clips the region.
- The Poconos and Southern PA: These higher elevations are the "winners" for Sunday. We are looking at a solid 2 to 4 inches in localized spots where the elevation helps wring out that extra moisture.
- New York City to Boston: It's looking more like a "sun and clouds" situation for the city itself, but don't be shocked if a stray squall drops a quick half-inch.
Why the Forecast is Hard to Pin Down
Weather forecasting in 2026 is better than it used to be, but the "rain-snow line" is still a nightmare for scientists. On Sunday, the freezing line is expected to hover within 15 miles of the Maryland-Pennsylvania border.
If that line shifts just ten miles north, Baltimore gets nothing but a cold drizzle. If it slips south? Suddenly the Sunday morning commute is a mess of white powder.
There's also this weird phenomenon called "lake effect enhancement." Up in the Finger Lakes and near Lake Ontario, the southwest winds are importing cool air over relatively "warm" water. Even though the main storm might miss them, the lakes are going to generate their own snow.
Southern States: The Tallahassee Flakes?
Believe it or not, the ECWMF models have been whispering about snow in... Georgia? And North Florida?
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Yeah, you read that right. On Sunday morning, a band of precipitation is expected to move through South Georgia and potentially the Florida Panhandle. While it’s mostly going to be a cold rain, some computer guidance suggests a "wintry mix" near Tallahassee.
Will it stick? Probably not. The ground is still way too warm. But seeing snowflakes in the Sunshine State is enough to make anyone check their weather app twice.
How Many Inches of Snow on Sunday: Regional Totals
To make this easier to digest, here is the breakdown of what the primary models are currently spitting out for Sunday accumulations.
The Great Lakes Region
Michigan is getting hammered by lake effect snow. Parts of the Upper Peninsula could see an additional 5 to 8 inches by Sunday night. Down toward Detroit, it’s much lighter—maybe a "nuisance" inch or two.
The Southern Appalachians
Ray’s Weather out of North Carolina is noting that this is a "nickel-and-dime" pattern. For places like Boone or Banner Elk, Sunday might only bring an inch or two, but it's part of a larger trend that’s building a massive snowpack for the season.
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The Interior West
Out toward the Rockies and the Northern High Plains, Sunday is more about the wind. While the Cascades are getting their usual feet of snow, the plains of Montana and North Dakota are seeing "blow snow." You might only get 1 inch of new snowfall, but the 30 mph gusts will make it look like 10.
Preparation and Safety for Sunday
Look, if you're in the 1-3 inch zone, you might think you don't need to do anything. You'd be wrong.
The biggest danger this Sunday isn't getting buried. It's the "flash freeze." Temperatures are expected to plummet Sunday afternoon as the Arctic front passes. Any slush from Saturday is going to turn into solid blocks of ice by sunset.
Actionable Steps for Sunday:
- Shovel Early: Don't wait for the sun to go down. Once that temp hits 20 degrees, that "slush" becomes "concrete."
- Check the "Real Feel": The thermometer might say 25, but the wind chill will be near 0 in the Midwest. Frostbite can happen in under 30 minutes.
- Travel Light: If you're driving through the Poconos or the Catskills, keep an emergency kit. A quick 3-inch burst can white out the highway in minutes.
- Salt Your Walkways: Do it Saturday night. You want that chemical reaction working before the Sunday morning freeze-up.
This isn't a "historic" blizzard for most of us, but it’s a reminder that January always wins in the end. Whether you're getting a dusting or a plowable four inches, stay off the roads if you can and keep the pets inside.
The Bottom Line
Expect the most accumulation in the U.P. of Michigan and the higher elevations of the Northeast. For the major cities, it's a "dusting to two inches" kind of day that will be remembered more for the biting cold than the depth of the drifts. Keep an eye on the local radar, because these small "clipper" systems love to over-perform at the last second.
Stay warm out there.