WeatherFanatics: Quick-Hitting Snow Aims for Detroit, Cleveland Into Wednesday

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

January 14,2014; 10:34PM,EST

A fast-moving storm originating in western Canada will spread a swath of snow and slippery travel across the Great Lakes region into Wednesday morning.
The storm, known as an Alberta Clipper, will ride one of two pushes of colder air that will put the Midwest back into winter mode and will also put some areas back into a deep freeze for a brief time.
The snow will track along near I-90 corridor, bringing a general 1 to 3 inches of accumulation.
More persistent snow will shift from central Wisconsin over into the northern half of Lower Michigan, which will accumulate 3 to 6 inches.

Interstate 94 and Interstate 35 in Minneapolis were snow covered early on Tuesday morning.
As much as 7 inches of snow fell on Christie, Wis., by Tuesday afternoon. A quick burst of snow also hit Chicago and Milwaukee during the midday hours Tuesday.
The snow will reach Detroit in time for part of the drive home Tuesday evening and then during the nighttime hours around Cleveland. Enough snow can fall to coat roads.
As of Tuesday evening, 11 inches of snow fell on Brown County, Wis., and more than 10 inches were recorded near Clintonville, Wis.
With the brief spell of mild weather recently, some of the snow may initially melt on the roads, then freeze as colder air arrives, adding to the slippery conditions. Just enough snow can fall to prompt deicing operations at area airports.
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The air following the clipper storm will be far less extreme than the blast that hit areas early last week. However, blustery and formidable cold follow.
On Wednesday, highs will be in the single digits, teens and 20s from much of the northern Plains to the Midwest.
A second push of cold air will follow late in the week into the weekend and will be accompanied by another clipper storm, spotty snowfall and gusty winds.

In between both pushes of cold, temperatures can briefly rebound for a day or so.
Temperatures are forecast to drop below zero at night over the North Central states that border Canada. However, while temperatures will be well below average, this type of cold is not highly unusual for the region during January.
Both pushes of cold air will also trigger episodes of lake-effect snow.
Additional clipper storms and rounds of cold air will continue through next week.