A powerful winter storm is sweeping across the northern United States, putting approximately 40 million people on alert for a dangerous mix of snow, high winds, and freezing rain over the coming days. The system, which began its march eastwards on Sunday morning, is expected to cause significant disruption from the Great Plains through to New England before it clears.
Blizzard Warnings and Widespread Advisories
The National Weather Service has issued a series of severe weather alerts. A blizzard warning is in effect for a narrow band from Fargo, North Dakota, south to Mason City, Iowa, encompassing parts of Minnesota. Forecasters predict winds up to 45 mph combined with 3 to 8 inches of snow, creating whiteout conditions. Michigan's Upper Peninsula is also under a blizzard warning, with a staggering 9 inches to 2 feet of snow and winds potentially reaching 60 mph.
Further east, winter weather advisories cover areas from Scranton, Pennsylvania, up through Burlington, Vermont, and Portland, Maine, with freezing rain expected on Sunday and Monday. Buffalo and Jamestown, New York, are under flood watches from Sunday afternoon until Monday afternoon.
Major Cities Brace for Impact
Major metropolitan areas are preparing for severe conditions. In the Great Lakes region, Cleveland and Detroit are forecast to experience wind gusts up to 60 mph from Sunday night through early Tuesday. The Upper Midwest will see heavy snowfall, with Minneapolis and Green Bay expecting between 5 to 9 inches of snow.
A level 1 out of 5 severe storm threat exists from northern Indiana south into Missouri, affecting cities including Indianapolis, St. Louis, Louisville, and Nashville. This region faces the risk of damaging, high-speed wind gusts.
Travel Disruption and Storm Timeline
The storm poses a serious hazard to road travellers. A critical warning has been issued for parts of the I-95 corridor between Philadelphia and Boston, where freezing rain around 5 pm on Sunday night could make driving extremely treacherous.
The system began dropping snow on Sioux Falls and Fargo early on Sunday and will continue to move east. The Midwest felt its full force by Sunday afternoon, with the Northeast affected shortly after. While the main storm is predicted to clear by Monday night, lake-effect snow is likely to follow for Great Lakes communities, potentially continuing into Tuesday and Wednesday.
In northern New England, wintry precipitation may produce up to a quarter of an inch of ice. This latest bout of severe weather follows another system that hit the Northeast earlier in the week, causing flight cancellations and blanketing New York and New Jersey in snow.
