Whiteout Conditions Sweeping East Through Midwest
A swath of windswept snow is spreading from the Midwest to the Appalachians tonight, making for a period of treacherous travel conditions along its path.
The snow will ride along the path of a strong arctic cold front that will cause temperatures to plunge while it helps kick up strong, gusty winds.
It will seem like a blizzard for some folks, and although it may only last for a few hours, the blowing snow, low visibilities and diving temperatures will create dangerous travel conditions across much of the lower Midwest and Ohio Valley.
A more prolonged snow is expected near the Great Lakes, where up to a foot of accumulation is possible in places such as Green Bay, Wis., and Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
BREAKING:
Whiteout with Snow Hitting Midwest Northeast
Three to six inches are expected in Chicago, where the change in the weather will be shocking to residents according to Meteorologist Meghan Evans.
Despite only experiencing snow for a few hours, a large swath of the lower Midwest and Ohio Valley will record 1 to 3 inches of fluff, including Indianapolis, Detroit, Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
Similar amounts can be expected in the Appalachians and across the interior Northeast overnight as the front sweeps through.
For a larger version of this map, visit the AccuWeather.com Winter Weather Center.
Snow showers were pushing to the south as well, reaching across Kentucky and into Tennessee, bringing blowing snowflakes to cities such as Bowling Green and Nashville. There can even be flurries in suburbs north of Atlanta tonight.
Blowing and drifting of snow will skew amounts in many areas, generate near-whiteout conditions and make for a real wintry scene.
Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski points out that perhaps the biggest concern with this storm will be the rapid drop in temperature behind the front which will create a dangerous layer of ice underneath the snow for motorists.
The bitterly cold air will persist well past the front into the weekend, helping to maintain lake-effect snow downwind of the Great Lakes and making for a chilly weekend all the way to the East Coast.
Stay with AccuWeather.com for the latest on this first significant winter storm for the Midwest, and follow @breakingweather on Twitter for continuous updates.
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 100° | Smyrna, TN |
| Low | 15° | Sunset Crater, AZ |
| Precip | 3.99" | Wadena, MN |
WeatherWhys®
Hail is much more common during the months of May and June compared to July and August. The main reason is the fact that the freezing level is usually higher during July and August as pockets of cold air in the upper atmosphere are less common as the jet stream weakens and retreats farther north.
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