By Meghan Evans, Meteorologist
December 20,2012; 8:19PM,EST
Blizzard conditions with heavy snow and high winds are impacting eastern Iowa, Wisconsin, portions of Michigan and northwestern Illinois with snow-packed roads.
The heaviest snow is falling at a rate of up to an inch per hour in this zone. There have been reports of thundersnow in some of the heaviest bands of snow. Gusts up to 50 mph are causing blowing snow, lowering the visibility to less than 1/4 of a mile.
A rapid freeze-up, snow burst and high winds are in store for portions of Illinois, including Chicago, by Thursday evening. For the latest snow map, click here.
Travel is hazardous and not advised across portions of Nebraska and Kansas, following blizzard conditions into early Thursday morning. Missouri is still dealing with heavy snow, blowing snow and poor visibility.
Meanwhile, the high winds and cold air are contributing to subzero AccuWeather RealFeel® temperatures.
UPDATES:
5:42 p.m. CST Thursday: Visibility less than 1/8 of a mile in Theresa in Dodge County, Wis. Wind speed is increasing.
4:50 p.m. CST Thursday: Numerous vehicles in ditches throughout McDonough county in Illinois with people stranded. Highway 136 east of Macomb is closed.
4:30 p.m. CST Thursday: Jack-knifed semi across both lanes of westbound/northbound Interstate 74, blocking traffic. Cars backed up 8 miles in both lanes.
3:45 p.m. CST Thursday: 14 inches of snow recorded in Portage near Columbia County, Wis.
3:39 p.m. CST Thursday: 4.9 inches of snow recorded in North Liberty, Iowa. Reports of blowing and drifting snow. A 10 foot tall tree uprooted.
3:12 p.m. CST Thursday: 4 inches of snow recorded in McDonough County, Ill. Strong winds reported with visibility near zero.
3:01 p.m. CST Thursday: 12 inches of now recorded in Trempealeau County, Wis. 14.5 inches recorded in Dodge County, Wis.
2:32 p.m. CST Thursday: 10 inches of snow recorded in Hartford, Wis. 18.5 inches recorded near Middleton in Dane County, Wis.
2:19 p.m. CST Thursday: 25 car crash reported in Iowa this afternoon on Interstate 35 at the 150 mile marker. Preliminary information states that there was near zero visibility. State Patrol is encouraging motorists to stay off the roadways.
1:26 p.m. CST Thursday: 9.7 inches of snow reported in Oshkosh in Winnebago County, Wis.
12:57 p.m. CST Thursday: 4.7 inches of snow reported near Norway in Dickinson County, Mich.
12:37 p.m. CST Thursday: Winds gusting to 50-60 mph with near-zero visibility in Oelwein, Iowa.
12:00 p.m. CST Thursday: 12.5 inches of snow has been recorded 1 mile east of Rock Springs, Wis.
11:30 a.m. CST Thursday: Snow has spread into St. Louis, Mo. Click here for local radar.
11:15 a.m. CST Thursday: Some of the heaviest snow totals so far: 11.4 inches in Mount Horeb, Wis.; 10.7 inches 5 miles southwest of Madison, Wis.; 10 inches in Aurora, Iowa; 9.8 inches in Littleton, Iowa.
10:45 a.m. CST Thursday: High winds from the blizzard have cut power to thousands of customers in the Kansas City area, according to Kansas City Power and Light.
10:15 a.m. CST Thursday: Peak wind gusts across Iowa so far: 54 mph at Independence; 52 mph at Mount Pleasant; 46 mph at Cedar Rapids.
10:15 a.m. CST Thursday: Driving conditions are difficult due to the snow and wind across southeastern Minnesota, according to the 511 road map from the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
The pink indicates difficult driving on the 511 road map from the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
10:00 a.m. CST Thursday: We have compiled a collection of blizzard photos and videos. The first video shows an instense thundersnow in Madrid, Iowa.
9:52 a.m. CST Thursday: Heavy snow, blowing snow are filling back in across eastern Iowa.9:45 a.m. CST Thursday: High winds uprooted a 1.5-foot diameter tree in Kahoka, Mo.
9:45 a.m. CST Thursday: Middleton, Wis., had thundersnow between 8:20-8:50 a.m. CST. Two inches of snow fell from 7-9 a.m. CST.
9:00 a.m. CST Thursday: Latest snow totals include 7.0 inches in Mantorville, Minn.; 7.5 inches 8 miles northeast of Cassville, Wis.; 7.5 inches in Lancaster, Wis.; 7.0 inches in King, Wis.
8:30 a.m. CST Thursday: According to Accuweather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams, "During Thursday morning, the massive storm system with its snow, wind, rain and thunderstorms was affecting areas from Akron, Colorado to Akron, Ohio and from Duluth, Minnesota to Duluth, Georgia."
8:00 a.m. CST Thursday: Snow has been winding down across Iowa for now, while the storm reorganizes. Heavy, windswept snow will develop across eastern Iowa again later today. Missouri is still getting hit hard by heavy snow, including Kansas City. Wisconsin and Michigan will continue to get slammed by blizzard conditions throughout the day. The Chicago area will get a snow burst by the evening that could lead to treacherous travel during the evening commute.
7:25 a.m. CST Thursday: The 511 road map from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation shows that most roads across central and southern Wisconsin are snow-packed. Toward Milwaukee, roads are still a bit slick with rain falling in the city and a wintry mix to the west.
Wisconsin Department of Transportation webcam in Columbia County, Wis., north of Madison, shows a snowy I-39/90/94.
6:30 a.m. CST Thursday: Travel is not advised across much of Iowa due to hazardous roadway conditions, indicated by the purple on the 511 map below from the Iowa Department of Transportation. The red symbols indicate that there are road closures as well.
511 roadway condition map from the Iowa Department of Transportation at 6:30 a.m. CST Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012.4:40 a.m. CST Thursday: The NWS office in Des Moines has reported over a foot of snow with 2 foot drifts. Their power is out.
3:10 a.m. CST Thursday: The snow is beginning to wind down in Omaha but is just getting started in Green Bay. Meanwhile, severe thunderstorms are racing across the Deep South.
1:00 a.m. CST Thursday: Thundersnow being reported in Madison, Wis. Winds haven't picked up there yet but the snow is really coming down! Four inches already reported at the airport and 2 inches in the past 2 hours! Blizzard conditions will develop during the day Thursday.
For older storm reports from the blizzard, going back to the start of the storm in Colorado on Wednesday, click here.
Thumbnail photo taken by Cali Porath in Madison, Wis., on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012.
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