With millions of Americans traveling during the holiday week, a dangerous post-holiday winter storm is creating widespread disruptions across the Northern Tier. The system is producing a combination of snow, ice, rain, and intense winds, prompting Blizzard Warnings for parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Travel impacts are expected to continue as the storm progresses, with hazardous conditions expanding eastward while strong winds and heavy precipitation affect large portions of the country.
The storm is forecast to move through today and into Tuesday. Portions of the Northern Tier have already recorded several inches of snow along with strong winds, but impacts are expected to broaden as the system tracks toward the Northeast. According to the FOX Forecast Center, the storm will be followed by cooler air and the development of lake-effect snow. Originating in the Midwest, the rapidly deepening low-pressure system will continue sweeping through the region, bringing rain, snow, and gusty winds while ushering in colder air to the east. Snow accumulations are generally expected to range from 5 to 8 inches, but shifting winds across the northern Great Lakes are forecast to spark intense lake-effect snow, pushing some localized totals into the range measured in feet.
The FOX Forecast Center reports that the storm’s rapid intensification is tightening the pressure gradient, a factor that is generating powerful and damaging winds across a broad area. These winds are already having significant impacts, both on infrastructure and on travel conditions across several states.
