Large areas of the U.S. braced for one of the first major blasts of wintry weather Sunday, as snow fell across the Northern Plains, storms developed near the Great Lakes, and the South prepared for a significant chill.
Flurries were reported across parts of the Chicago area, a precursor to “intense” snowfall expected to begin Sunday evening in communities surrounding Lake Michigan, according to The Associated Press.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning into Monday, predicting wind gusts up to 30 mph and as much as 18 inches of fast-falling snow, along with thundersnow—a rare mix of thunderstorms and snow.
“This band is going to drop some very heavy snow and some hairy scenarios for the Monday morning commute,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Doom in Romeoville, Illinois.
Road conditions in northeast Illinois were expected to be “dangerous to impossible” as snow accumulations could exceed 3 inches per hour. Winter weather advisories were also issued for Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Snow fell Sunday in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, with low visibility and up to a foot of accumulation forecast by Monday. Indiana could see up to 11 inches of snow, creating “slippery surfaces” for travelers, while parts of Wisconsin were predicted to receive up to 6 inches.
“Patchy blowing snow” and wind chills near zero were expected in portions of Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Some areas had already received measurable snow, including 4 inches in southwest Minnesota and more than 5 inches in parts of northern Iowa.
Cold weather warnings extended through Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky, with freezing temperatures predicted across much of the South—from Texas and Oklahoma to Alabama and Georgia.
Gardeners were also warned to protect plants from the freeze. “Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold,” meteorologists in Arkansas advised.
