Travel troubles and disruptions to daily routines will arise today from a snowstorm across the Midwest, as well as from blowing and drifting snow over the Plains. The winds whipping the snow across the Plains is making the air feel dangerously cold.

The most substantial snow will continue to press across the lower Great Lakes and Ohio Valley today into tonight. This includes Madison, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

Accumulating snow is also in store for the Tennessee Valley, North Carolina and the Northeast through Friday. The East Regional News story has more information.

The snow across the Midwest is powdery in nature. Residents should not have difficulty shoveling, but slow commutes and flight delays can be expected. Some activities may get cancelled or postponed.

Most of the storm’s snow has already fallen across the northern and central Plains, where biting winds have begun to howl. The winds, gusting to 40 mph at times, will have no trouble whipping around the powdery snow.

Travel will remain treacherous as blowing snow drops visibility down to near zero. Drifting snow will further clog roadways.

Be sure to pack a winter survival kit if you are planning to travel across the Plains and Midwest. If your vehicle becomes stuck, the brutal cold following the snowstorm could put you in a life-threatening situation.

The combination of the wind and bitter cold will create AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures of 20 to 40 below zero across the northern and central Plains today.

A dangerous blizzard that can close major interstate highways is heading for the Plains and the Upper Midwest Tuesday night into Wednesday.

The combination of plunging temperatures, high winds and over a foot of snow can leave unaware motorists stranded on Interstates 35, 79, 80 and others.
This is the areas expected to experience the worst of the blizzard. However, the storm’s effects will be far-reaching.

The powdery snow will be pushed around by 40-mph sustained winds leading to huge drifts that will challenge road crews to keep up.

The strong winds from the storm will create subzero AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures in many areas. Frostbite can develop on exposed skin in minutes.

The heaviest swath of snow will stretch from Omaha to Des Moines to Madison. However, many other cities over the region including Chicago, Milwaukee, Kansas City and Minneapolis will have either substantial snow or a wintry mix and most importantly travel delays and dangers.

Travel and outdoor exposure for long periods of time should be avoided in the core of the storm’s wind and snow.

If you must travel by ground through the storm, make sure you and your vehicle are winter ready. Throw a shovel in your car, pack extra blankets and make sure your cell phone is charged.

Expect substantial flight delays and cancellations at midweek not only from Chicago to Denver, but also ripple-effect problems across much of the nation.

The most substantial lake-effect snow event of the season so far following the storm will bury some communities that escape the front end blizzard.

As a result, some areas could be buried under feet of snow as the “December to Remember” continues.

The UP is in the cross hairs for a nice cold front set to blow into the air tonight into tomorrow. The cold arctic air will move across the “warm” waters of Lake Superior causing a significant accumulation of lake effect snow.

...SIGNIFICANT LAKE EFFECT SNOWS POSSIBLE NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR
WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING...
LOW PRESSURE CURRENTLY OVER MINNESOTA WILL MOVE ACROSS UPPER
MICHIGAN TONIGHT...THEN MERGE WITH DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE OVER
THE OHIO VALLEY ON WEDNESDAY. BEHIND THE LOW...WINDS WILL TURN
NORTH AND NORTHWEST...ALLOWING COLDER AIR TO MOVE ACROSS THE
RELATIVELY WARM WATERS OF LAKE SUPERIOR. THIS SETUP WILL LIKELY
LEAD TO THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT LAKE EFFECT SNOWS OF THE SEASON FOR
AREAS NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR. CURRENT DATA SUGGESTS THAT AREAS FAVORED
BY A NORTHERLY WIND DIRECTION...SUCH AS INLAND NORTH CENTRAL UPPER
MICHIGAN AS WELL AS AREAS NEAR IRONWOOD...WILL SEE ACCUMULATING
SNOW WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. AS THE WINDS TURN
NORTHWESTERLY THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...ALL OF WESTERN
UPPER MICHIGAN FROM IRONWOOD TO THE KEWEENAW PENINSULA COULD SEE
MODERATE LAKE EFFECT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS.
WIDESPREAD LAKE EFFECT SNOW IS ALSO ANTICIPATED TO FALL ACROSS
LAKE EFFECT SNOW BELTS EAST OF MARQUETTE FAVORED BY A NORTHWEST WIND.
HOWEVER...THE LATEST INFORMATION SUGGESTS THIS SNOW WILL NOT BE AS
HEAVY AS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT AS WINDS QUICKLY SHIFT TO THE WEST ON
THURSDAY NIGHT...SHIFTING THE HEAVIER SNOW OVER LAKE SUPERIOR.
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR UPDATES ON
THIS SITUATION.