How social media can mislead you during winter storm forecasting
[...]
Meteorologists might see signs of a significant winter storm five to seven days in advance, but it's too early for specific snow forecasts: For instance, there might be forecast models suggesting on a Monday morning that a winter storm could affect several regions of the U.S. the following weekend.
[...]
The lack of detail in a long-range winter storm forecast is due to several factors: One reason is that weather disturbances triggering the development of a potential winter storm might be thousands of miles away. That means they may be traveling over a more data-void region such as the Pacific Ocean before reaching the U.S.
[...]
Here's what to do next time you hear that there is a possibility of a significant winter storm in your area: First of all, resist the temptation to run with the forecast on any snow map you might encounter on social media.
Instead, consider the source. If the person who posted the image isn't a familiar face that you've seen on TV, or a trained meteorologist from the National Weather Service or a private forecast company such as weather.com, a quick Google search of their name will almost always tell you if this is a reputable source.