More than a foot of snow is expected across much of the country from the first winter storm system of 2021, with much of the Midwest under some sort of weather advisory for the early part of the week.

It’s been a quiet winter, with only a few major snow events hammering the continental United States so far this season. But on Monday, the National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings for an area stretching from southwestern Kansas to the eastern border of Illinois along Lake Michigan.

It was already snowing Monday in Omaha, Neb., which can expect as much as 16 inches of snow once the system moves out of the area later in the week. High winds and wet, heavy snow are projected to lead to widespread power outages across the advisory area.

“Travel will be difficult, if not impossible for the evening commute,” the weather service warned in its Monday forecast.

Further east, a winter storm warning is in effect for Chicago through Tuesday afternoon. The Chicago area can expect as much as 8 inches of snow which, combined with the possibility of freezing drizzle, could create particularly hazardous conditions.

“Some power outages are possible due to the combined effects of the expected wetter nature of the snow and strong and gusty winds,” the advisory reads.

Snowfall estimates diminish east of Chicago, with only an inch of snow expected in Detroit. The system weakens by midweek and should bring only an inch or so of snow accumulation for parts of the Northeast.

Behind it, however, is another system brewing in the southwest. Normally sunny Las Vegas is under a winter weather advisory, but the warmer conditions are expected to only bring a mix of snow and rain, with little to no accumulation expected.

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