Extreme Winter Weather: Major Storm Targets Millions Throughout The Midwest

A major winter storm tore through the Midwest and surrounding areas over the weekend, making post-holiday travel a nightmare for many with bouts of snow, wind, and ice. The system originated in Southern California on Wednesday, where it dumped enough rain and snow to severely backup holiday traffic. Moving further north and east, the system intensified.

Northern regions, including Minnesota, were first impacted on Saturday with freezing rain. On Sunday, Nebraska and the Dakotas were hit with heavy snowfall early on. Some Nebraska cities reported at over 8 inches snow. Whiteout conditions are expected to impact North and South Dakota throughout the day, with some areas already reporting 14 inches of snow.

Conditions in Minnesota and Wisconsin improved somewhat Sunday morning, with snowfall giving way to intense fog. This brought visibility in some regions, like Green Bay, down to a quarter-mile.

Heading into the week, the storm is expected to progress across the Ohio Valley and drop heavy freezing rain and ice from Philadelphia to New York City, and potentially up to Boston. Commuters in the tri-state area are urged to exercise caution on the road. In the Great Lakes and New England regions, continued snowfall is expected, with parts of Minnesota, Michigan, Vermont and New Hampshire forecast to receive between 9-15 inches of snow.

Airports from Minneapolis to Atlanta may expect to be hit with numerous weather-related delays in the coming days.