Additional Coverage:
Winter Weather Woes: Northeast Digs Out, New Storm Brews Across the Nation
United States – Travel across the nation remains a chaotic scene this Saturday, as the Northeast continues to grapple with the aftermath of a pre-Christmas snowstorm while a new weather system sweeps across the country. Flight delays and cancellations have plagued travelers, with hazardous road conditions adding to the winter woes.
As of Saturday morning, over 4,000 flights into or out of the U.S. experienced delays, and more than 800 were outright canceled, according to FlightAware. While the snowfall has ceased in the Northeast, icy and snow-covered roads are making travel treacherous for motorists.
Hartwick, New York, bore the brunt of the recent storm, reporting a significant 11.5 inches of snow. New York City’s Central Park saw 4.3 inches, marking its first snowfall exceeding four inches since 2022, as confirmed by the National Weather Service. Video footage from just outside Boston on Friday night depicted heavy snow falling onto already white-blanketed roads.
Beyond the snow, a thick blanket of fog is causing further disruptions across the central U.S., with alerts stretching from the Dakotas down to the Gulf Coast. Cities including Minneapolis, Des Moines, St.
Louis, Memphis, Nashville, and New Orleans are anticipating travel delays. Forecasters expect the fog to lift by midday Saturday in most areas, though it may linger along the Gulf through the evening.
A New Storm System Takes Hold
A fresh storm system made its debut Saturday morning, ushering in scattered snow showers across the Rockies. Winter weather alerts are currently in effect throughout the mountainous regions, from Idaho to New Mexico, with Colorado bracing for over a foot of snow.
This low-pressure system is projected to traverse the Plains on Saturday night, bringing snow showers to parts of Nebraska and the Dakotas, while rain is expected in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois into Sunday morning.
By midday Sunday, rain will extend into parts of the lower Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. Simultaneously, heavy snow is anticipated to hit portions of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Sunday evening will see rain move into the Northeast, persisting through Monday. A flood watch has been issued for parts of western New York, including Buffalo. New England residents should prepare for freezing rain, which could lead to icy road conditions from northern New York through Maine.
Wrap-around snow will continue in the western Great Lakes through Monday, with a dusting of up to one inch possible in Chicago and Milwaukee. Lake-effect snow bands downwind of Lake Ontario and Erie are expected to linger into Tuesday as the storm system moves offshore.
Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula face the highest risk for significant snowfall, with forecasts predicting 5 to 14 inches. Wind gusts, reaching up to 35 mph, could create blizzard conditions at times from Sunday morning through midday Monday.