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Winter Weather Grips Midwest and West, Bringing Early Snow and Chilly Temperatures
CHICAGO – A fast-moving winter storm has ushered in heavy snow, strong winds, and a significant drop in temperatures across the West and Midwest, impacting approximately 20 million people under various winter alerts this Saturday. Cities like Chicago are experiencing an early taste of winter, with residents bundling up to brave the snowy streets.
Saturday morning saw scattered snow showers over the northern Plains and Rockies, extending from Montana to the Dakotas. This precipitation is expected to continue throughout the day, gradually shifting into Iowa and Minnesota by the afternoon. Des Moines, Iowa; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Aspen, Colorado; and Jackson, Wyoming are all within the affected risk areas.
By nighttime, a quick burst of snow and wintry mix is anticipated to move into Illinois, Missouri, and Wisconsin, affecting areas including Chicago through the overnight hours.
Chicago residents observed the early onset of winter conditions, with many expressing surprise at the intensity. Catherine Karwowski, a local resident, told NBC News, “This is early for us to have this much snow and these temperatures, so we’re kind of bracing ourselves for a rough one this year.”
Newcomers to the region are also adjusting to the sudden change. Katie Jones, who recently moved to Illinois from Texas, noted, “Just got the big coat, arrived today,” as she prepares for her first winter.
Brielle Trostley, visiting Chicago from Florida, found the cold challenging but expressed delight at the novelty of the snow. “Just to see everything covered in white all the time, that’s pretty new for me, because I’ve never seen snow before,” Trostley shared.
The snow system is projected to extend into parts of Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio while lingering over Illinois on Sunday morning. Its relatively swift movement will see it reaching the interior Northeast by Sunday night. Snow showers are expected to persist in the region through Sunday night before tapering off Monday morning.
Mountainous regions are expected to receive the highest snow totals, with parts of Wyoming, Utah, Montana, and Colorado potentially seeing an additional 5 to 12 inches, and some localized areas possibly experiencing up to 20 inches. Combined with wind gusts reaching 60 mph, mountain travel will be significantly challenging throughout the weekend.
As of 2 p.m., Mount Crested Butte, Colorado, reported 10 inches of snowfall; Orogrande, Idaho, recorded 5.4 inches; and West Valley, Montana, saw 3.4 inches. Footage from Utah’s Department of Transportation on Friday evening showed snow-covered roads in the north-central part of the state.
Forecasters predict 2 to 5 inches of snow across a broad swath of the Midwest, stretching from the Dakotas through Lake Michigan, encompassing Chicago. Iowa could see around 6 to 8 inches of snow, with freshly powdered landscapes already visible in Iowa City, Dakota City, and Sioux City on Saturday morning. In the interior Northeast, snowfall totals are expected to be minor, with most areas receiving a dusting of up to 1 inch, though western New York could see 2 to 4 inches.
Cold Air Mass Takes Hold
Temperatures across the Rockies, Plains, Northeast, and parts of the Southeast will remain significantly cooler on Saturday afternoon, with highs 5 to 20 degrees below average. Daytime highs are expected to range from single digits in the northern Plains to the 20s to 50s across the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast.
Overnight lows will plunge below zero in the northern Plains and reach the 10s to 20s across the Midwest, Rockies, Appalachians, and Northeast. Despite the chill, no record lows are anticipated for Saturday.
On Sunday, the core of the cold air mass will settle over the Plains, bringing daytime highs 10 to 25 degrees below average. This will particularly impact Minnesota, the Dakotas, and Iowa, where highs are expected to remain in the single digits and teens.
Active Week for the Northwest
A series of powerful Pacific storms, fueled by an atmospheric river, are set to bring a widespread flooding risk to parts of Washington and Oregon throughout the upcoming week. Flood alerts will be in effect for the western half of these states, including Seattle and the Oregon cities of Portland and Eugene, starting Sunday night and continuing through Friday.
Multiple rounds of heavy rain are expected, bringing 2 to 6 inches of rain, with some areas potentially receiving up to 10 inches. Snow levels in this region will climb to between 6,000 and 7,500 feet.
Prolonged threats include landslides, flash flooding in burn scar areas, and coastal flooding.
Rain in the Southeast
Meanwhile, in the Southeast, a line of moderate to heavy rainfall persists from the Gulf Coast through the Carolinas. While no severe weather is anticipated, periods of heavy rain could lead to localized flash flooding. This pattern is expected to continue through the weekend, with rainfall totals ranging from 0.5 to 2 inches.