Millions of Americans returning home after the Thanksgiving holiday are facing a treacherous mix of severe winter weather, with significant snow, rain, and biting cold forecast to disrupt travel across the country.
Widespread Winter Storm Warnings
Winter storm warnings and advisories have been issued by the National Weather Service, stretching from Montana all the way to New York. The agency confirmed that snow which began on Friday is set to persist well into the weekend, creating hazardous conditions for drivers.
Key Areas and Snowfall Predictions
The states of Iowa and Illinois are expected to bear the brunt of the severe conditions. Meteorologists predict that much of west-central Illinois will be hit particularly hard, with six inches to a foot of snow (approximately 15 to 30 centimetres) forecast from Friday night through Saturday night.
While the conditions are severe, forecasters noted they do not currently meet the official criteria for a blizzard warning, which requires winds of at least 35 mph (56 kph) and visibilities of less than a quarter mile (400 metres) for more than three hours.
Ongoing Storm Impact and Regional Forecast
The storm system, which had already blanketed parts of the northern Plains and the Great Lakes region, continued its path on Friday. The weather service warned that snowfall totals could reach at least a foot in some areas, especially downwind of Lake Superior in Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula and near lakes Erie and Ontario. Parts of central New York state could also see up to a foot (30 centimetres) of snow.
For the interior Northeast, the forecast includes possible snow squalls on Friday, bringing sudden, intense bursts of heavy snow that cause dangerous whiteout conditions on the roads.
Meanwhile, the Pacific Northwest and the Rockies experienced a combination of snow and rain on Friday. By Saturday, the snow is expected to ease in the Rockies and northern Plains but will continue to move into the Midwest.
In the south, the forecast predicts storms, some of them heavy, with a risk of flash flooding on Saturday along the western Gulf Coast.
Plummeting Temperatures and Early Impacts
Temperatures across the eastern and central United States have plunged well below seasonal averages. Highs on Friday were only expected to reach the 20s and 30s Fahrenheit in the Midwest, the 30s and 40s in New England and the Mid-Atlantic, and the 40s and 50s in the Southeast.
The adverse weather has already had consequences. The snowy conditions on Thanksgiving Day itself led to a number of vehicle crashes in western Michigan, underscoring the risks for holiday travellers.
