Clipper storm to unload snow in Milwaukee and Detroit with Chicago on the edge
Even though the calendar has switched to spring, winter isn’t quite ready to let go. Snow is making a comeback in the Upper Midwest after weeks of absence.
From snow around the Great Lakes to frigid air returning in the Upper Midwest, the first days of spring will feel more like winter than much of the winter itself.
As spring begins, the weather won’t match the season across the northern Plains and Upper Midwest. A storm will draw in cold air and result in the first snowfall in weeks as it moves southeastward, AccuWeather meteorologists warn. The same storm is destined to bring snow to part of the Northeast as well.
Snowstorms have been lean during the winter of 2023-2024 for the north-central and northeastern United States. However, it seems that Old Man Winter is finding his stride at the last minute as a storm originating from western Canada, referred to as an Alberta clipper, has produced a strip of snow along a swath of 2,000 miles or more.
The current track of the storm brought 3-6 inches of snow to the Minneapolis area into early Friday morning, following the first two full days of spring. Spring officially arrived late Tuesday evening.
Prior to this storm the last measurable snow during the lean winter of 2023-2024 was on Feb. 27, when 0.1 of an inch fell. The last snowstorm in the Twin Cities was on Valentine's Day when 6.9 inches fell. There have only been 14.3 inches of snow all winter in Minneapolis, compared to a season-to-date historical average of 45.5 inches or a mere 31%. To put the season in perspective, the least snowy winter on record was in 1930-1931, when 14.2 inches fell. The average annual snowfall for the city is 51.2 inches.
As the storm moves along, it will bring areas of slippery travel along portions of the Interstate 90 and 94 corridors for starters. As the snow reaches the regional and major airport hubs in the region, deicing operations will lead to departure delays. Some flights may be canceled.
"Farther to the southeast in the Midwest, the same storm will bring snow to Chicago and Milwaukee as well," AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex DaSilva said. Chicago downtown will pick up a slushy coating to an inch or two of snow, but just a few miles to the north, near the Wisconsin boarder, 6-12 inches will pile up.
"Should the storm shift its track farther to the south by as little as a couple dozen miles, Chicago could end up in the band of heavier snow," AccuWeather Meteorologist and On-Air Radio Personality Dean DeVore said.
Detroit is another city where a wide range of snowfall will occur across the metro area. Areas south of the downtown core may struggle to pick up an inch or two of wet snow. However, the city and suburbs to the north may pick up several inches of snow with slippery travel.
As the clipper storm pushes into the Northeast by this weekend, there is the potential for snow to accumulate in parts of New York and New England.
More than 1,000 miles farther south, AccuWeather meteorologists will be watching the track of a storm that moves from the northern Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic coast early this weekend.
Both storms will grow together into one large storm early in the weekend and will unleash gusty winds, rough surf and above-normal tides along with areas of drenching rain along portions of the Atlantic coast.
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