Winter Storm Warning for 22 States Amid ‘Dangerously Cold’ Arctic Air

Winter storm warnings are in place for parts of 22 states as meteorologists predict a major winter storm will bring heavy snow and blizzards to the Midwest and Great Lakes into the weekend, before another hits the West Coast.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued alerts for Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming, warning of Arctic chills, hazardous travel conditions and whiteout conditions in places.

Blizzard warnings are also in place for parts of Idaho, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan.

In its latest forecast, the agency said “dangerously cold” air would spread into the heartlands over the weekend, as a swathe of moderate to heavy snowfall is expected to move from the Missouri Valley into the Great Lakes on Friday, bringing over a foot of snowfall which—combined with 50-mile-an-hour winds—will create blizzard conditions making travel “near impossible.”

A storm that brought blizzard conditions to western central states earlier in the week has been shifting northeastward, carpeting much of the northern central U.S. in snow.

In eastern Nebraska, additional snow accumulations of up to seven inches are possible on Friday, with wind chills as low as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Two inches of snow and wind chills of minus 45 degrees are possible for southeastern South Dakota.

The entirety of Iowa is under winter storm or blizzard warnings, with up to 11 inches falling in some parts. The northeast of the state into southwest Minnesota are expected to see localized whiteout conditions and snowfall rates of up to an inch an hour.

“Consider altering, delaying or even canceling travel plans if conditions warrant it,” the NWS advised.

Up to a foot of snow is anticipated in Michigan, while the northeast of the state near Lake Michigan is also set to see blizzard conditions, with high winds and up to 15 inches of snow.

Much of Wisconsin is under weather warnings, with 15 inches of snow expected in parts and winds as high as 45 miles an hour.

The far northwest of Missouri could see four inches of snow with wind chills of minus 35 degrees, while up to a foot of snow could fall across parts of northern Illinois with wind chills as low as minus 40 degrees. Up to nine inches of snow and winds of 50 miles an hour are possible in northern Indiana.

“Even as the system pulls away, continued cold and gusty northwesterly flow over the Great Lakes will also lead to blowing lake-effect snow in favorable locations downwind of the Great Lakes, including into the Lower Great Lakes by Saturday,” the NWS predicted, noting additional snowfall for northern New England.

The region has already seen some lake-effect snow this winter, and recently faced another bout of snow brought on by an Alberta Clipper system moving down from Canada.

In northeast New York, up to 10 inches of snow and winds gusts of 50 miles an hour are expected. The same is foreseen for two counties in northern Vermont.

After being battered by two “powerful” atmospheric river storms this week, the northwest is set to see more heavy snowfall on Friday and Saturday.

But the NWS said the winter storms were “only the first part of the story” as a “surge” of Arctic air will bring “bitterly cold” temperatures to the Plains and northwest. “Wind chills of this nature can lead to frostbite on exposed skin within minutes,” it warned.

Up to 14 inches of snow is possible in higher elevation areas of northwestern California, while up to 15 inches and winds of 60 miles an hour are possible in mountain regions of northwest Nevada. While 22 inches of snow is possible above 8,000 feet near Lake Tahoe, with wave heights reaching four feet.

As much as five feet of snow is expected to settle in the mountains of northern and central Utah, with winds reaching 60 miles an hour in parts. Up to 18 inches of snow and 75 mile an hour winds are possible in west central Colorado, with an Arctic cold heightening the risk of frostbite and hypothermia.

Up to 10 inches of snow and winds of 40 miles an hour are predicted across much of Idaho, with blizzard conditions in the south. Local accumulations of up to 18 inches of snow and winds of 60 miles an hour in southeast Wyoming. Several inches of snow and high winds are also expected in western Montana.

Snow continues to fall across the Cascades of Washington and Oregon, with up to three feet of new accumulations as well as the threat of freezing rain. Central and eastern Oregon is also under warnings for over a foot of snow and wind chills.