A new AccuWeather forecast map highlights the swath of the country that could see accumulating snow later this week, as another winter storm is expected to organize over the northern and central Rockies on Friday before sweeping across the central Plains, Midwest and Great Lakes over the weekend.
Why It Matters
Meteorologists at AccuWeather are warning that this system could create treacherous driving conditions and bring disruptive snowfall to major air travel hubs in Minneapolis and Chicago, complicating trips for people heading home after the Thanksgiving holiday.
What To Know
“A storm tracking through the Midwest after Thanksgiving has the potential to slow travel through the weekend. Even a few inches of snow at major airports such as Chicago O’Hare or Minneapolis–St. Paul can lead to delays and cancellations for travelers heading home,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said in an advisory shared with Newsweek on Wednesday.
“De-icing operations and snow removal on runways can create a domino effect, with disruptions at key hubs leading to delays at airports across the country,” he added.
AccuWeather’s outlook indicates that from Friday afternoon through Sunday, the storm is expected to drop between 6 and 12 inches of snow in parts of Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa and South Dakota.
“The area that is going to see the highest snowfall is going to be across southern Minnesota and Iowa through central and southern Wisconsin through central Michigan. This area could see 6 to 12 inches,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tyler Roys told Newsweek on Wednesday.
He continued: “St. Louis, Indianapolis and Detroit will see a mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain and could even see rain. These locations will see upwards of a few inches of snow/sleet.
“The bigger transportation hubs of Chicago will also be impacted, while the highest snowfall is likely to be to the north of them. Given the airports and highways around, significant delays and even cancellations are expected.”
Roys noted that this system is not projected to be driven by intense lake-effect snow or very strong winds, meaning widespread road closures like those associated with the current storm aren’t anticipated. “There could be road closures that are weather related but are more likely from accidents,” he added.
Blizzard warnings and winter storm warnings from the National Weather Service (NWS) were already in place for parts of Michigan and Wisconsin as of early Thursday. Additional winter weather advisories and lake-effect snow warnings stretched into portions of Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio.
In Michigan’s Alger County, forecasters expect 4 to 13 inches of snow along with hazardous travel conditions that may disrupt holiday plans, according to a blizzard warning in effect until 7 p.m. Eastern time as of reporting.
What People Are Saying
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dan Pydynowski cautioned in an advisory: “People returning home from the holiday and those heading out shopping should be prepared for slippery and hazardous road conditions across parts of the Midwest. Drivers should keep winter emergency supplies, blankets, bottled water, snacks and a fully charged phone in their vehicle.”
What Happens Next
Regional NWS offices will continue to issue updated forecasts and advisories on their website and social media channels as the storm evolves through the weekend.
