Winter weather-related alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS) span swaths of the northern U.S. early Friday, as a major winter storm is expected to impact parts of the Northern Plains, Upper Midwest and Great Lakes through the weekend.
Why It Matters
Forecasters warn that heavy snowfall from the storm will lead to hazardous post-Thanksgiving travel—as the American Automobile Association expects over 80 million people to travel at least 50 miles from home over the November 25 to December 1 period.
What To Know
Winter storm warnings—issued by the NWS when “a significant combination of hazardous winter weather is occurring or imminent”—are in effect across much of Montana, parts of South Dakota and Nebraska, southern Minnesota, almost the entirety of Iowa, northeast Missouri, central and northern Illinois, northwest Indiana, southern Wisconsin and parts of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula as of early Friday morning.
North central and northwest Illinois, as well as much of Iowa are expected by the NWS to see heavy snow and snow accumulations of around 10 inches, with up to 14 inches possible, according to the NWS.
“Persons should consider delaying all travel,” the NWS’s winter storm warning for the area says. “If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution. Consider taking a winter storm kit along with you, including such items as tire chains, booster cables, flashlight, shovel, blankets and extra clothing. Also take water, a first aid kit, and anything else that would help you survive in case you become stranded,” it adds.
Winter weather advisories—which are less severe than winter storm warnings but still indicate that wintry weather could cause “significant inconvenience”—have also been issued for parts of Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado, West Virginia, and Idaho.
The NWS Weather Prediction Center (WPC) said snow from the winter storm will begin Friday morning across the northern Rockies, spreading east to the Plains by Friday afternoon.
“Snow will reach the Midwest region by late Friday and continue through Saturday. Snow will taper off west to east overnight Saturday into Sunday,” it said.
What People Are Saying
The NWS Weather Prediction Center said in a post on X, Thursday: “A significant snowstorm will impact a good portion of the Northern Plains and Midwest starting Friday and carrying through Sunday morning. Several inches of snow will make for dangerous travel conditions, so be sure to plan accordingly as we move into the weekend.”
Meteorologist Noah Bergren said on X, Thursday: “Big time winter storm starts Saturday morning. Large area of heavy snow from northern Illinois through Michigan. A very cold rain for many in the Heartland. Expect tremendous air travel delays late Saturday at Chicago MDW and ORD especially.”
What Happens Next
Regular forecast updates are issued by the NWS via the agency’s website and social media channels.
