Severe Winter Storm Expected as Cold Air Hits U.S. After Thanksgiving

Clay County, Minnesota – A severe winter storm is affecting travel ahead of Thanksgiving as several semi-trucks spun out on I-94 due to snow on Tuesday. Weather forecasts predict that this storm will expand into a cross-country event, bringing heavy rain and snow across more than 1,000 miles beginning Thanksgiving night.

As the storm develops, an Arctic blast will send temperatures plummeting for millions just as December approaches. A winter storm has already caused issues for travelers; reports confirm that a 69-year-old man was killed Wednesday morning in Alden Township when a snow-covered tree fell on him, according to the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office. Blizzard warnings are now in effect in parts of Wisconsin and Michigan as the storm moves through the Great Lakes region.

Lake-effect snow warnings have been issued, with predictions of up to 20 inches of snow and wind gusts reaching 50 mph, spanning parts of northeast Ohio to northwest Pennsylvania and southwest New York.

The storm is expected to hit the Rockies on Friday, with snow beginning in the northern Plains as it interacts with incoming cold air. By Saturday morning, the center is predicted to move into the Plains, intensifying as it continues into the Midwest, generating snow in Nebraska and Kansas while rain falls south of its center.

Travel concerns are heightened for those in the eastern U.S. as the storm is anticipated to affect areas east of the Mississippi River on Sunday, likely bringing snow to the Great Lakes and rain to the South. Significant snowfall is expected, although exact totals are hard to establish days in advance. Meteorologists note that both the GFS and ECMWF models indicate a similar storm path but differ on snowfall amounts.

With temperatures dropping dramatically, highs Sunday are projected to be 15 to 20 degrees colder than normal across much of the central U.S. Many locations, as far south as Kansas, may experience high temperatures in the teens and low 20s. Overnight lows could reach single digits in the north-central U.S., with parts of the Upper Midwest facing temperatures below zero.

Travelers are advised to prepare for potentially hazardous conditions. Meanwhile, the Northeast could see a transition to steady rain on Sunday, although it may pose a lesser risk of flash flooding compared to the expected storms in the South.

This winter storm marks one of the most widespread opportunities for accumulating snow this season and will significantly impact travel plans as holiday gatherings commence.