Disruptive snow to sweep over midwestern US this weekend

Rounds of snow will cause slippery travel across the midwestern United States this weekend.

A storm will cut into the bitter cold air that has set up over the Midwest, creating an ideal environment for snow to fall.

Enough snow is anticipated for shoveling and plowing operations to be necessary across a large part of the region.

“The storm appears likely to stage a two-pronged attack on the Midwest,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Kyle Elliott said.

An initial wave of snow will expand across the Dakotas, Minnesota and Iowa beginning on Saturday before reaching parts of Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan on Saturday night.

A second area of snow is expected to evolve on Sunday.

“A more widespread area of accumulating snow will surge eastward across the Midwest from Sunday morning into Monday morning,” Elliott said.

The snow can fall heavily and accumulate quickly on roadways during this second round.

Chicago, Minneapolis and Detroit will all have wintry weather.

In areas hardest hit by the snow, snowfall could near or exceed half a foot. Travel could be slick and treacherous at times this weekend north of the Interstate 70 corridor along I-29, I-35, I-80, I-90 and I-94.

Where temperatures are below freezing, some roads will become immediately snow covered. Where temperatures are near or slightly above freezing, roads will transition from wet to slushy, then snow covered. Motorists will need to reduce their speed and allow more stopping distance as the road conditions deteriorate. In marginal temperature situations, bridges, overpasses and shaded areas tend to become icy the fastest.

From the I-80/I-90 corridor on north, the snow will tend to be light and fluffy in nature as opposed to wet and heavy, making for quick removal from sidewalks and driveways.

"The exact track and intensity of the storm will determine where the heaviest band of snow occurs," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. "A general 3-6 inches of snow will fall in the swath from Rochester, Minnesota, to Milwaukee, Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland, but local amounts of 8-12 inches can occur along that swath."

Some of the snow will reach into part of the Northeast during the second half of the weekend and early next week.

Similar to the Midwest, there is the potential for a moderate snowfall from part of the central Appalachians to New England, according to Sosnowski.

"With the storm during Sunday to Monday, wintry travel is likely for the the I-80 corridor on north in the Northeast states," Sosnowski said.

In the wake of the storm, much colder air will blast across the Midwest and into parts of the East during the middle and latter part of next week.

Meanwhile, storms originating from the Pacific will continue to roll across the nation during much of the month.

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