Denver to Green Bay Snowstorm in the Works

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

December 17,2012; 6:15AM,EST

Much to the delight of those in the holiday spirit but to the displeasure of travelers, the stage is set for snow to spread from Colorado to the Upper Midwest Wednesday into Thursday.

Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski discusses many impacts of the upcoming storm over the Midwest in "Disruptive Major Midwest Storm Thursday, Friday."

The impending snow will be more of a nuisance to disruptive event for the I-25 corridor of Colorado, but could evolve into a significant snowstorm across the Upper Midwest.
The snow will actually begin its journey across the United States Tuesday into Tuesday night, spreading from the Sierra to the southern Rockies.

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? Check out the forecast here.

Denver will turn into a winter wonderland on Wednesday as the snow streaks eastward to the central Plains, potentially dropping as far south as the northern Texas panhandle.
Wednesday night into Thursday, the snow will head northeastward into the Upper Midwest.
While more precise expected snow totals will be issued in the near future, AccuWeather.com meteorologists feel that a general 1-3 inches of snow will fall across the central High Plains--including Denver and the Interstate 25 corridor.
Snow amounts will steadily increase as one heads northeastward from Kansas and eastern Nebraska to Michigan with the highest amounts likely to be on the order of 6-12 inches.
Latest indications put the corridor from eastern Iowa to northern Michigan under the gun for the heaviest snow totals, but that zone is far from etched in stone.
That heaviest snow zone would follow any slight shift in the storm track, either to the north or south--the reason every resident across the Upper Midwest should monitor the progress of the impending snowstorm.
This includes those in Chicago, which could end up being buried by snow if the storm tracks through central Illinois, a path that cannot be ruled out.

However, even Chicago's current forecast of rain changing to snow on Thursday would bring the city's ongoing snow drought to a finish and significant travel troubles.

While snow invades the Upper Midwest, a band of rain and thunderstorms will reach the East Coast.
It is not just the heavy snow that will create a nightmare for travelers across the Upper Midwest, but also gusty winds whipping the snow around and reducing visibility.
Dangerous blizzard conditions may even unfold--likely in the vicinity of northern Michigan--if the snowstorm strengthens into its full potential.
The winds will be howling on the snowstorm's backside and driving noticeably colder air deep into the southern Plains and South. There is concern that the cold blast will fuel severe weather across the South Wednesday night into Thursday.
Be sure to keep checking back with AccuWeather.com as more details of this impending snowstorm and the threat for severe weather unfold.