Midwest and Great Lakes Blizzard Threat

Blizzard conditions developed across the Plains and Great Lakes on Friday, with snow topping 17 inches for some! The low pressure system will continue to generate more wind and snow for this region on Saturday.

Blizzard warnings have been issued and remain in effect through Saturday for parts of South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, and parts of the UP of Michigan. Many of the blizzard warnings will not be because of falling snow, but because of the snow that has fallen being blown around by the strong winds. This means these locations will be especially susceptible to 35 mph winds (or stronger) and a one-quarter-mile visibility (or less) for at least three hours.

The latest forecast from our In-House Model is now showing that lake-effect snow machine turning on and dropping some big snow for Michigan. This means there will be major impacts to travel for these areas.

Luckily there is a tool to check out the impacts. The Winter Storm Severity Index (WSSI - top of page) is showing major impacts for Michigan through the weekend.