More than a million drivers across the Midwest and Northern Plains were urged to stay alert Friday morning as gusty winds and bursts of falling snow set the stage for dangerous snow squalls and rapidly deteriorating visibility.
The warnings came alongside a wave of winter weather advisories issued by multiple National Weather Service (NWS) offices across the region. The latest system follows a stretch of wintry conditions that led to snow squall warnings in parts of the Mid-Atlantic on Thursday.
For this round, advisories were posted for areas of Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Many of the alerts were issued early Friday and were expected to remain in effect through the evening.
In Iowa, the NWS office in Des Moines warned that fast-moving snow showers and squalls would sweep in from the northwest during the morning, pushing southeast through the afternoon before easing overnight. Forecasters said the most intense bands could bring brief but heavy snowfall, dropping visibility to as low as a quarter mile and quickly covering roads with snow and slush. Northwest winds, commonly gusting between 35 and 45 mph, could further cut visibility when snow is falling—creating conditions that can shift suddenly from normal driving to near-whiteout.
Newsweek reached out to the NWS office in Des Moines by phone for comment.
If drivers encounter a snow squall, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recommends staying calm and adjusting immediately for low-visibility travel.
“Turn on your headlights and hazard lights, and start adding plenty of distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you,” NOAA said on a webpage about snow squalls. “Should you start to lose control, pump your brakes and steer through any sliding. Avoid slamming on your brakes or turning the wheel aggressively as this will cause further loss of control and potentially cause a collision.”
As of 10:15 a.m. Eastern time, no snow squall warnings were active across the region, though officials noted conditions can change quickly. Drivers were advised to monitor local NWS updates and check the latest forecast before heading out.
In South Dakota, the NWS office in Aberdeen cautioned that slippery roads and blowing snow could cause sudden drops in visibility, making travel especially difficult in rural areas prone to drifting and open-country wind. The agency said hazardous conditions could disrupt both the Friday morning and evening commutes.
Additional winter weather advisories were also issued in parts of Wisconsin, Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, and Maine. Separately, high wind warnings stretched across a broad swath of the country, from Montana down through Kansas.
