Disruptive snow to sweep over midwestern US this weekend

By Renee Duff , AccuWeather meteorologist

December 8,2016, 11:07:48AM,EST

 

 Rounds of snow may cause slow and slick travel across the midwestern United States this weekend.

A storm will cut into the bitter cold air that has set up over the Midwest, creating an ideal environment for snow to fall.
Enough snow is anticipated for snow shovels and plows to be necessary across the the region.
“The storm appears likely to stage a two-pronged attack on the Midwest,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Kyle Elliott said.

The first batch of snow will quickly expand across the Dakotas, Minnesota and Iowa beginning on Saturday before reaching parts of Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan by Saturday night.
A second area of snow is expected to develop slightly farther south on Sunday.
“Another area of accumulating snow will surge eastward across the north-central Plains and Midwest from Sunday morning into Monday,” Elliott said.
Chicago, Minneapolis and Detroit will all have wintry weather.
In areas hardest hit by each batch of snow, snowfall could near or exceed half a foot. Travel could be slick and treacherous at times this weekend along interstates 29, 35, 80, 90 and 94.
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“Even the slightest amount of snow on roads can cause a vehicle to hydroplane or tires to lose their grip on the roadway, heightening the risk for spin-outs and traffic accidents,” he added.
The snow will tend to be light and fluffy in nature as opposed to wet and heavy, making for quick removal from sidewalks and driveways. Residents should still use caution due to the strenuous nature of shoveling.
“The exact track and intensity of the storm will ultimately determine how much snow falls in cities like Des Moines, Iowa; Minneapolis; Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Chicago,” Elliott said.
Some of the snow will reach into part of the Northeast during the second half of the weekend and early next week.
Similar to the Midwest, there is the potential for a moderate snowfall from the central Appalachians to part of New England, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
"With the storm on Monday, wintry travel is possible for the the I-80 corridor on north," Sosnowski said.
In the wake of the storms, much colder air will blast across the Midwest and into parts of the East during the middle and latter part of next week.

Meanwhile, storms originating from the Pacific will continue to roll across the nation during much of the month.