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.
What Is a Bomb Cyclone
Some forecast models indicate that the low-pressure system could undergo bombogenesis as it moves over the relatively warmer waters of Lake Michigan. Bombogenesis occurs when a storm rapidly intensifies due to a sharp drop in atmospheric pressure, transforming it into what is known as a bomb cyclone. Winds exceeding 60 mph have already been reported across parts of the Plains and Upper Midwest, and the strength of these gusts has resulted in widespread power outages. More than 350,000 customers nationwide have lost electricity, with Michigan particularly affected, accounting for just over 115,000 of those outages.
The intense winds have also begun to disrupt travel. Blizzard conditions in Iowa led to a multi-vehicle pileup involving more than a dozen vehicles along Interstate 35, highlighting the dangerous nature of the storm as it moves across the region.
@iowastatepatrol (Iowa State Patrol) “Video of a multi-vehicle crash scene on I-35 near Hwy 20 shows ZERO visibility. With the closure of I-35 tonight, please do not seek alternative routes. Conditions are extremely dangerous and could lead to deadly consequences! Video by Lieutenant Jeremy Schaffer
December 28 2025 https://x.com/iowastatepatrol/status/2005401558419481036?s=20
Ahead of the advancing front, rain is spreading across the Northeast today. Many locations, including areas along the I-95 corridor, are remaining above freezing, which is limiting snow chances for much of the region. Northern New England and higher elevations in the interior Northeast are exceptions, particularly early this morning, where frozen precipitation is expected before quickly transitioning to rain. The FOX Forecast Center warns that icing is likely in locations where cold air remains trapped, creating especially hazardous travel conditions across New England, with higher elevations facing the greatest risk.
Winter Weather Alerts have been issued for much of the region, and ice accumulations of up to a quarter-inch are possible in some areas, further increasing the threat of dangerous road conditions and potential power disruptions.
What to Do During a Winter Storm Power Outage
Similar to the Midwest, the Northeast is expected to experience a brief but intense period of high winds, with gusts reaching up to 40 mph. In the Midwest, especially across the southern Great Lakes, and in higher elevations of New England, wind gusts could approach 60 mph. These conditions raise the possibility of additional power outages as the storm continues its eastward progression.
Behind the cold front, a surge of colder air will arrive as winds shift to the northwest. This change in wind direction is expected to trigger significant lake-effect snow downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario. Portions of western New York and the Tug Hill Plateau could see snowfall totals exceeding one foot through Tuesday as the lake-effect bands persist in the colder air mass.
A Powerful Storm With Widespread Impacts
As this winter storm continues to track across the country, its combination of strong winds, heavy snow, ice, and rapidly changing conditions is creating widespread impacts from the Midwest to the Northeast. Power outages, travel disruptions, and the potential for significant lake-effect snow are expected to remain concerns through Tuesday as the system gradually moves out of the region.
