CHICAGO (AP) — Large swaths of the U.S. awaited one of the season’s first blasts of wintry weather Sunday as temperatures dipped and snow fell in the Northern Plains. Heavy snowstorms developed eastward across the Great Lakes, with the South also preparing for a significant chill.
In the Chicago area, flurries marked the beginning of what meteorologists forecasted could become an intense snowfall, starting this evening. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for communities around Lake Michigan, predicting wind gusts up to 30 miles per hour and snow accumulations as high as 18 inches.
Weather service meteorologist Kevin Doom described the impending storm as likely to create very heavy snow and some risky scenarios for the Monday morning commute. As temperatures continued to drop throughout the Midwest, travel conditions were expected to worsen due to extensive winter weather advisories spanning across Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
In various areas of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, snowfall could reach a foot, presenting low visibility challenges. Indiana residents may experience up to 11 inches of snow, creating slippery road conditions, while Wisconsin anticipates up to 6 inches.
As the storm moves through, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota are also expected to face patchy blowing snow, with wind chills forecasted to plummet near zero. Some regions have already received measurable snow, with reports of four inches in southwest Minnesota and more than five inches in northern Iowa.
Cold weather warnings reached parts of Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky, where freezing temperatures are predicted through Monday morning, affecting states from Texas to Alabama and Georgia. Special weather advisories have been issued to inform gardeners about the end of the growing season, urging them to take protective measures against the cold for tender plants.
