Blizzard to create dangerous travel in north-central US through Christmas night

By Kristina Pydynowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

December 25,2016, 9:11:07PM,EST

 

 Travel will become dangerous, if not impossible, across the north-central United States through Christmas night due to a blizzard and ice.

The same storm that brought Christmas Eve snow to the Intermountain West will significantly strengthen across the north-central U.S. through Sunday night.
Blizzard to dump more than a foot of snow on the Dakotas
An all-out blizzard will unfold by Sunday evening from western South Dakota and surrounding areas to northeastern North Dakota.
“The heaviest snow and worst of the blizzard conditions will occur from Rapid City, South Dakota, to Bismarck and Grand Forks, North Dakota,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun said.

The blizzard will expand into southern Manitoba, including Winnipeg, and northern Ontario at night.
More than a foot of snow will bury places north of Rapid City to Winnipeg with strong winds leading to significant blowing and drifting snow.
Residents planning to travel to family or friends will face rapidly deteriorating conditions into Sunday night.
Travel will become extremely dangerous, if not impossible for about 12 hours. Officials may be forced to close portions of I-29, I-90 and I-94.
As of 12:10 p.m. MST, I-80 Laramie-Cheyenne is closed both directions due to winter conditions, according to the Wyoming Department of Transportation. In addition, since 11:18 a.m. MST, I-80 Rawlins-Laramie has been closed both directions.
RELATED:
North central US interactive radar
Christmas severe weather episode may threaten lives from Oklahoma to Nebraska
5 historic Christmas Day snowstorms
“The combination of heavy snow and winds gusting over 50 mph will reduce visibility to feet at times,” Rathbun said.
Anyone who must travel should pack a winter survival kit. Venturing out on foot during the blizzard will be life-threatening.
Ice to create travel dangers, isolated power outages in the Upper Midwest
As the blizzard unfolds, an icy mix will target the rest of the Upper Midwest on Christmas Day.
“Where sleet and/or freezing rain mixes in, snow totals will be greatly reduced,” Rathbun said. The danger of slick roads and sidewalks, however, will not lessen. It only takes a thin glaze of ice to make untreated surfaces extremely slippery.
Flight delays and cancellations could spoil last-minute holiday travel plans.

The ice will increase and expand northward to northern Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan into Sunday evening.
The ice will mix with snow or sleet in northern areas with an eventual change to rain from southwest to northeast into Sunday night.
The most prolonged freezing rain will lead to power outages. At 5:43 p.m. CST on Sunday, an emergency manager for the National Weather Service reported power outages and branches breaking from ice accumulation and wind.
Travel hazards in the north-central U.S. will not end when the icy mix changes to rain or the blizzard winds down.
Temperatures plunging back below freezing will cause any wet or slushy spots to freeze in the Upper Midwest on Sunday night into Monday morning, while gusty winds will further blow and drift snow on Monday in the Dakotas.

“Travel will remain poor on Monday on the roads and in the air due to blowing snow, and roads are still likely to be covered with snow,” Rathbun said.
Subzero AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will put anyone not properly dressed when shoveling snow at risk for frostbite and hypothermia.