Christmas Blizzard 2016: Holiday Travel May Be Affected After Storm Brings Heavy Snowfall To The Dakotas And Plains

Folks hoping to wake up to a white Christmas in northern U.S. states got exactly that Sunday after a snowstorm dropped more than a foot of the white stuff. The Weather Channel reported the storm system hit areas surrounding the Rockies and Plains before traveling through the Midwest on Saturday night, bringing heavy snow and ice.

The storm was expected to make its way to the Northeast by Monday, bringing bone-chilling winds and freezing rain, while areas of the Midwest are expected to see severe thunderstorms.

Blizzard warnings were in effect for North Dakota and western and central South Dakota. The National Weather Service also said areas surrounding northwestern Minnesota and eastern Montana could be heavily affected by the storm and could see 8-15 inches of snow and winds as high as 55 mph through Monday. Meanwhile, an ice storm warning also went into effect in central South Dakota, southwest North Dakota and central Minnesota, with as much as a 1/2 inch of ice expected.

The harsh weather conditions may put a huge damper on holiday travel plans for many as flights delays and cancellations are expected to affect travelers across central northern U.S. and the Midwest. AccuWeather forecasters predicted visibility may be reduced significantly due to the combination of heavy snow and wind gusts topping 50 mph, making road travel extremely dangerous. Drivers could see highway closures on portions of Interstates 29, 90 and 94.

Although the snow and ice mix was expected to turn into rain in various parts of the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, below freezing temperatures were more than likely to freeze over wet and slushy spots from Sunday through Monday morning.

“Travel will remain poor on Monday on the roads and in the air due to blowing snow, and roads are still likely to be covered with snow,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun said.