Snow, ice and wind to overspread central US at midweek
Two waves of wintry weather can lead to slippery travel from the central Plains to the lower Great Lakes during the middle days of this week.
First, an area of snow and ice is expected to move through the Midwest later Tuesday through Wednesday morning, creating slick conditions from central Kansas to southern Michigan. This includes the major metro areas of Chicago; Detroit; Des Moines, Iowa; Topeka, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri.
Meanwhile, "a storm system is expected to develop in the lee of the Rockies on Wednesday and track into the Midwest into Thursday and Friday," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.
As snow tapers off over the central and northern Rockies on Wednesday evening, another round of ice and snow will be ramping up over the central and northern Plains.
Where the heaviest snow falls across the northern Plains and Upper Midwest, several inches to a foot of snow are forecast to fall. Areas from central and southern Minnesota to northwestern Wisconsin to part of northern Michigan may be in the heaviest snowfall area where up to 16 inches of snow may fall.
Outside of the heaviest snow bands, a few inches to half of a foot of snow will fall.
Strong winds are expected to develop around this time as well, buffeting Wyoming, eastern Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota during the evening hours on Wednesday.
Winds gusts could be strong enough to result in downed trees and power lines, property damage and power outages. Strong crosswinds can threaten high-profile vehicles.
Along with increasingly heavy snowfall, these winds will contribute to deteriorating travel conditions as blowing and drifting snow obscure roadways and limit visibility.
The southern edge of the wintry weather can fall as freezing rain and sleet, limiting snow accumulation totals but making travel particularly hazardous.
"Kansas City, Missouri; Chicago; and Grand Rapids and Detroit, Michigan, will likely be impacted by this swath of freezing rain," Buckingham said.
Anyone living or traveling through these areas will need to keep a close eye on developments in their local forecast in order to know when the worst of the icy conditions are expected, and to avoid travel during these times. Extra time should be allowed for commutes in case of hazardous road conditions.
This same system will unleash heavy rain and locally strong thunderstorms from the southern Plains to the mid-Mississippi and Ohio valleys.
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