Good morning, I'm Cedric and this is your EM Morning Brief for Tuesday, January 20, 2026 Lake Effect Snow remains the top hazard today.

The National Weather Service keeps winter storm warnings in place downwind of lakes Erie and Ontario with snowfall rates up to 2 to 3 inches per hour, blowing and drifting snow and periods of near whiteout conditions through Wednesday afternoon.

Marine hazards also persist on the Great Lakes with heavy freezing spray warnings that can rapidly ice up vessels.

Separately, NOAA's Space Weather Prediction center reports a G4 severe geomagnetic storm watch for today and confirms severe levels were reached late Monday.

Brief disruptions to HF radio, GPS and satellites are possible and auroras could be visible well into the US tonight where skies are clear.

Lets run through the states.

Maryland Mid Atlantic remains quiet today, but the local NWS office notes a colder pattern with a shot of weekend snow increasingly likely.

Highs today hold in the 20s with a modest warm up Wednesday before another surge of cold late week.

Massachusetts Marine hazards are the main concern today with a gale warning small craft advisories around southern New England waters.

Inland roads may have slick spots after recent snowfall.

NWS posted regional totals for 1-18-19 and keeps winter Pages active as another weak wave passes to the south.

Michigan Southeast Michigan remains under cold weather messaging this morning with wind chills -5 degrees to -15 degrees Fahrenheit and a winter weather advisory that covered the early commute.

Another another round of light snow arrives late tonight into Wednesday with 1 to 3 inches possible on Lake Huron.

A heavy freezing spray warning continues through this afternoon.

New York Lake effect storm continues across western and north central New York.

Winter storm warnings run into Wednesday afternoon for Oswego, Jefferson, Lewis, Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Southern Erie.

Expect an additional 6 to 12 inches in the most persistent bands.

Gusts to approximately 40 mph blowing drifting snow and episodic whiteouts.

Rates May peak at 2 to 3 inches per hour.

Ohio North coast and far northeast Ohio face marine icing.

Heavy freezing spray warnings continue over Lake Erie with waves five to nine feet and rapid ice buildup possible.

A cold weather advisory covered parts of NWN central Ohio through noon with wind chills down to -15 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mariners should avoid exposed runs inland, limit time outdoors and watch for slick spots.

Low visibility and stagnant air are the primary risks.

Dense fog advisories and air stagnation advisories appear around the Willamette Valley and so too west Washington, Northwest Oregon.

A beach hazard statement also appears along parts of the coast.

Pennsylvania Northwest Pennsylvania deals with dangerous marine and shoreline icing on Lake Erie.

Heavy freezing spray warnings are up into this afternoon and earlier cold weather advisories highlighted wind chills for Erie Crawford Hard freeze potential builds for the weekend across Southeast Texas.

NWS Houston Galveston highlights medium to high odds of sub freezing temperatures reaching the coast Saturday, Sunday nights.

A strong front arrives late Friday into Saturday.

Washington Stagnant conditions and patchy fog linger in western Washington.

NWS Seattle shows air stagnation advisories and localized dense fog advisories in effect.

All other states have no significant updates in the last 24 hours.

Links to our sources are in the show notes below.

We'll continue to track the lake effect event and the space weather impacts through tonight.

Stay safe.