Overview
- Blizzard and winter-storm warnings cover northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, with forecasts of 2–3 feet of snow, while lake-effect snow warnings east of Lakes Erie and Ontario call for up to 20 inches.
- NWS Marquette cautions U.P. residents to alter holiday plans and avoid travel as confidence grows in multi‑foot lake-effect bands and whiteout conditions.
- Wind alerts stretch from the Plains to the Great Lakes with gusts frequently near 50–60 mph, creating hazardous driving and a risk of scattered power outages in major hubs including Chicago and Detroit.
- Weather-related disruptions are mounting, with more than 2,000 U.S. flights delayed by Wednesday morning and an Ohio Turnpike ban on high-profile vehicles as roads turn slick in the Upper Midwest.
- Forecasters expect a separate storm to sweep from the Pacific Northwest this weekend bringing widespread rain and snow, followed by a significant cold blast, with snowfall amounts still model‑dependent.