Winter storm warnings have been issued for states across the West and Northwest, with upward of 10 inches of snow and winds as high as 65 miles per hour, as well as “life-threatening” conditions in certain regions for those who are unprepared.
The urgent alerts were issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) on Sunday, and are active for Alaska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The office in La Crosse, Wisconsin, reported that snow would sweep from west to east overnight, with the heaviest falls across parts of Clayton and Grant Counties.
“Road conditions across portions of northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin are slippery and snow covered so be sure to exercise caution if you are driving tonight,” it said.
For Iowa, a winter storm warning will be in effect until 3 a.m. CST, 4 a.m. ET, for Floyd, Chickasaw and Fayette Counties, in anticipation of heavy snowfall and slippery road conditions.
Cities in central Iowa including Dysart, Iowa Falls and Gladbrook also have a warning in place until 6 a.m. CST on Sunday, and are expected to experience hazardous travel conditions.
The Quad Cities office said travel could be “very difficult” in portions of east central and northeast Iowa until 6 a.m. CST, and that Carroll and Whiteside Counties in Illinois will see “slippery road conditions” due to heavy snowfall overnight.
Elkhead and Park Mountains in Colorado are expected to see up to 3 inches of snow and wind gusts reaching 35 mph, with travel described as “very difficult to impossible through much of the day and into the early morning hours of Sunday.”
Alaska is set to see some of the worst conditions, with warnings in place from early Sunday morning until Monday night. A total accumulation of between 16 and 20 inches of snow is expected in Hyder, and travel is discouraged unless absolutely necessary.
“Cold temperatures are expected to continue to spread southward into early next week, increasing potential for a long duration snowfall event,” the Juneau office said.
Skagway, Haines Borough and Klukwan are expecting 12 to 18 inches of snow and winds as high as 50 mph until Sunday afternoon, Eastern Chichagof Island is set to see 8 to 14 inches and winds up to 35 mph, while Glacier Bay could see between 10 and 20 inches and 40 mph winds.
In its alert for Skagway, Haines Borough and Klukwan, the Juneau office said: “Gusty winds could bring down tree branches. The cold wind chills as low as 20 below zero near White Pass could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.”
Winter storm warnings are active for the Sierra Madre Range and Snowy Range in Wyoming. Between 5 and 10 inches of snow and gusts as high as 65 mph will lead to “blowing snow and reduced visibility,” the Cheyenne office said, warning that being outdoors overnight could “become life-threatening to those caught unprepared.”
“Hikers and snowmobilers may easily become disoriented. Frostbite and hypothermia can develop quickly,” it wrote, adding that total snow accumulation is expected to range between 2 and 5 feet.
This week saw several similar alerts from the NWS, warning of possible “record colds” across the Midwest, Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic, and urging residents to “dress appropriately to avoid the risk of frostbite/hypothermia and limit time outdoors.”
In its Day 3-7 Hazards Outlook issued on Sunday, the NWS said that heavy snow could hit Michigan, New York, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Washington, with warnings of heavy precipitation for Washington and Oregon.
Those traveling overnight have been urged to keep an extra flashlight as well as food, water and warm clothes in case of an emergency, and can go to 511ia.org (for Iowa), 511.alaska.gov (for Alaska) and gettingaroundillinois.com for timely updates on road conditions.
