Residents in many U.S. states are under winter storm warnings, with some areas forecast to receive up to 24 inches of snow and blizzard-like conditions between Thursday and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Why It Matters
Heavy snow, strong winds, and sharply reduced visibility are expected to disrupt Thanksgiving and weekend travel. The NWS has cautioned that visibility may drop below a quarter of a mile in some locations, creating “treacherous” roads and “potentially life-threatening” conditions for anyone on the move.
What To Know
Significant snowfall and high winds are expected across wide swaths of the country, including parts of Montana, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, South Dakota, and Illinois.
In Montana, the Hi-Line region near the Rocky Mountain Front could see up to 12 inches of snow above 6,000 feet by Friday evening. Drivers using mountain passes have been advised to carry tire chains. Highway 83 (Bigfork to Swan Lake), Essex, Bad Rock Canyon, Marias Pass, Glacier National Park, and Polebridge may receive up to 11 inches of snow and experience winds up to 40 mph from Thursday afternoon into Friday.
In Michigan, additional snow accumulations of up to 10 inches are possible across Delta, Luce, northern Schoolcraft, and southern Schoolcraft Counties, with winds reaching 45 mph through Thursday evening. Antrim and Kalkaska Counties could see 10 to 18 inches of snow, with totals as high as 24 inches possible in Kalkaska and southern Antrim County by Friday evening.
Charlevoix, Crawford, Missaukee, Otsego, and Roscommon Counties may see up to 18 inches in some areas, especially across western Charlevoix.
Grand Traverse and Wexford Counties could receive up to 8 inches of snow and experience winds near 50 mph through Thursday morning. In the Upper Peninsula, central and western Chippewa and eastern and western Mackinac Counties could see 4 to 8 inches of snow with winds up to 45 mph through Friday night.
Marquette County may get up to 6 inches of snow and 50 mph winds on Thursday, while Alger County could see up to 13 inches of snow and 50 mph gusts through Thursday night.
In New York, northern Erie and Genesee Counties should prepare for up to 3 inches of snow and winds near 50 mph through Thursday afternoon. The NWS has warned that “gusty winds will down tree branches and cause isolated power outages.” Chenango, Cortland, Otsego, southern Cayuga, and Steuben Counties could receive up to 7 inches of snow and experience 35 to 40 mph winds from Friday into Saturday morning.
In northeastern Ohio, particularly parts of Portage, Trumbull, and Summit Counties, snowfall totals could reach up to 6 inches with 40–45 mph winds through Friday evening. During the heaviest bands, snowfall rates may reach 1 inch per hour.
In Pennsylvania, Cameron, Elk, Potter, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and southern Franklin Counties could see 3 to 7 inches of snow through Friday and possibly into Saturday, with gusts between 35 and 40 mph.
In Alaska, the Seward Highway from Primrose to Hope could receive 6 to 12 inches of snow by Friday morning, while Turnagain Pass may see up to 16 inches.
Parts of north central, northeast, and northwest Missouri could see up to 7 inches of snow from Friday into Saturday night, with areas of east central and northeast Missouri potentially receiving up to 8 inches.
In Iowa, widespread accumulations of 6 to 14 inches are expected from Friday into Sunday. Parts of south central and southeast Wisconsin could receive up to 6 inches by Saturday night.
Sections of central, east central, south central, and southeast South Dakota might see up to 8 inches of snow by Saturday afternoon. Central, east central, southeast, and west central Illinois may get between 4 and 12 inches by Saturday night.
What Officials Are Saying
The NWS office serving New York advised: “Plan on slushy and slippery road conditions and reduced visibility. The hazardous conditions will impact Thanksgiving holiday travel. If traveling, be prepared for rapidly changing road conditions and visibility.”
The Ohio NWS relayed guidance from state agencies, noting: “The Ohio Department of Transportation and Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission strongly encourage motorists to heed all travel restrictions and delay unnecessary travel.”
What Happens Next
The NWS continues to urge anyone with travel plans to closely monitor local forecasts, be prepared for sudden changes in weather and road conditions, and delay or avoid travel where possible until the storm passes.
