Snowstorm to threaten travel impacts from Colorado to Michigan
Heavy snow and blustery winds affected areas of Colorado as the latest winter storm crossed the state on Feb. 15.
A second storm in as many days will bring travel-disrupting snow to parts of the Plains and Midwest into Thursday, and up to a foot of snow could fall across more than a half dozen states, according to AccuWeather forecasters.
The snow and dramatically colder air will mark a big change in most of the area, where temperatures as high as the 60s, and even springlike thunderstorms, were common just a day or two prior.
The storm that will be responsible for the heavy snow moved across the Southwest on Tuesday, after bringing colder air and accumulating snow to much of the interior West earlier in the week. It is following an initial storm that triggered thunderstorms across the nation’s midsection on Tuesday. That first storm will bring a severe thunderstorm threat and help usher in a near-record warmth in parts of the South and East on Wednesday and Thursday.
Snow from the first storm was relegated to the northern Plains and Upper Midwest, including Minnesota and far northwestern Wisconsin into Wednesday. Ahead of the second storm, fresh cold air from Canada will push farther south through the Plains and into the lower Midwest into midweek, setting the stage for accumulating snow.
"Heavy snow will fall along a 1,200-mile stretch of land from eastern Colorado to northern Michigan and affect hundreds of miles of interstates," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
Denver will be the first major metropolitan area east of the Rockies to experience substantial snow through Thursday night. The snow fell heavy enough in the Mile High City to impact air traffic into and out of the busy Denver International Airport. The airport experienced delays for over 500 departing flights and 400 arrivals through Wednesday evening, according to FlightAware.
Accumulations of about 6 inches are expected on most surfaces as temperatures continue to hover in the lower teens Wednesday evening. Through midnight, 3.6 inches of snow had fallen at Denver International Airport.
The heavier 6- to 12-inch band of accumulating snow will expand east with the storm as it moves from the central Plains and into the Midwest through Thursday, impacting cities such as Des Moines, Iowa; Rockford, Illinois; Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Traverse City, Michigan. The AccuWeather LocalStorm Max™ snowfall total in this zone is 18 inches.
Several inches of snow are forecast on either side of the heaviest snow bands in cities such as Omaha, Nebraska; Dubuque, Iowa; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. While shovels may only be needed instead of snow blowers and plows in this area, the storm will still produce slippery travel conditions.
Chicago, prior to the storm's arrival on Thursday had recorded only about half of its normal snow-to-date this winter (14.2 inches at O'Hare International Airport versus the historical average of 26.4 inches), will be largely spared by the storm, with 1-2 inches forecast to accumulate at the Lakefront, as temperatures struggle to fall below freezing before precipitation ends on Thursday. Higher amounts of 2-4 inches are likely in the immediate northern and western suburbs, that includes O'Hare.
Seasonal snowfall totals through Feb. 15, 2023.
Rapidly plunging temperatures around Chicago later Thursday can make for a slippery and dangerous evening commute. Areas of slush and standing water will freeze.
This drop in temperature arrived in Omaha early Wednesday, a mere 36 hours after the mercury rose into the lower 60s Monday afternoon.
In Milwaukee, temperatures that were near 50 on Tuesday afternoon will be followed by subfreezing temperatures and snow in the city by Thursday morning. Due to snow and falling temperatures, travel conditions will deteriorate as the day wears on.
Strong, gusty winds will accompany the snow in many areas as atmospheric pressure drops quickly. This could create near-blizzard conditions for a few hours, sharply reducing visibility and making for dangerous travel.
The snow and wind will impact portions of interstates 29, 35, 70, 80, 90 and 94. Forecasters say motorists should avoid or delay travel in the affected areas as the heavy snow moves through.
Around Detroit, it is a drop in temperature that may occur prior to roads and sidewalks drying off Thursday night. The morning commute on Friday could be slippery, even though the storm will have pulled away.
It will not take long for the melting process to commence following the storm, as sunshine and milder temperatures are forecast to return later in the week and into the weekend. In Denver, temperatures will surpass the freezing mark on Friday and rise close to 50 on Saturday and Sunday. Likewise, in Milwaukee, the mercury will settle into the middle 40s later in the weekend.
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