Storm with ice, snow and rain thwarts weekend plans in central US

At a time of year when shopping, putting up outdoor decorations and searching for the perfect Christmas tree are at their peak, an approaching storm is poised to cause trouble in the form of snow, ice and snow across parts of the Great Plains to the Midwest Rain is on the cards this weekend, AccuWeather meteorologists say.

The storm will quickly regroup in the Plains Friday night into Saturday after passing through the Rocky Mountains last week. As moisture is drawn in from the Gulf of Mexico, an area of ​​showers from Texas to Kansas will expand northeast into colder air, where wintry precipitation will occur from Nebraska and Iowa to Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Motorists may encounter slippery conditions while commuting Friday night around Omaha, Nebraska and Des Moines, Iowa, to name just a few major cities in the region. Further south, rain, poor visibility and puddling on roads may slow travel, including in the Kansas City, Missouri, and Little Rock, Arkansas, areas.

As the storm continues to progress Saturday, the icy and wintry mix will turn to rain along much of Interstate 80, but the ice and snow zone will become larger in the Northeast.

Rain is expected to fall around Chicago and most likely downtown Milwaukee on Saturday due to the storm, but farther north a slippery, icy mix is ​​forecast from Rochester, Minnesota, to Madison and Green Bay, Wisconsin. Even a thin layer of ice can be dangerous for drivers and pedestrians.

Get the free Accuweather app

Further north to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Minneapolis and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, will see 1 to 3 inches of snow and sleet accumulate from the storm Saturday and Saturday night, along with areas of fog that may slow movement.

Due to de-icing operations Friday night into Saturday night, airlines may experience significant delays anywhere near and within the snow and ice zone in the Midwest.

Rain will shift eastward south of the storm’s track across the middle and lower Mississippi Valley and the Ohio and Tennessee valleys Saturday and Saturday night. A few thunderstorms are possible in this zone, with the risk of some severe thunderstorms that may bring locally strong gusts of wind.

Precipitation is expected to hold off around Detroit and Cleveland. However, in these areas most and possibly all of the precipitation will fall as rain from Saturday night into Sunday night. Fog and puddles on the roads can be the biggest problems for travelers.

As the storm moves northeast, it will encounter a persistent wedge of cold air from the mountains and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains to the Piedmont areas in the east. Depending on the severity of the cold wedge, snow or an icy mixture is forecast overnight from Sunday to Sunday.

Milder air from the Pacific Ocean will follow the storm from the end of this weekend into the first half of next week. However, there may be a chance of treacherous cold air a little during the week, which could be just enough to produce a narrow band of snow Wednesday into Thursday with a storm near the Atlantic coast similar to the end of last week in eastern parts of Tennessee and Tennessee not dissimilar is Ohio Valleys and the eastern Great Lakes.

Do you want security at the highest level, without ads? Unlock enhanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ in the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are triggered by our experienced meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks around the clock to keep you and your family safer.