Chicago, IL – A powerful post-Thanksgiving winter storm is set to sweep across the Midwest beginning Friday, bringing widespread heavy snowfall from the Dakotas to Michigan and creating hazardous conditions for millions traveling home after the holiday.
According to the National Weather Service, confidence is high that a strong winter storm will track out of the northern Rockies Friday morning before pushing rapidly east across the Central Plains and into the Midwest by Friday evening. Many areas across the northern and central Midwest face an 80–99% chance of receiving 6 inches of snow or more through Sunday.
The heaviest snowfall probabilities are centered over Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, northern Illinois, northern Indiana, and western and northern Michigan, where NWS maps show widespread 70–98% chances of hitting the 6-inch mark. Cities including Minneapolis, Madison, Des Moines, Chicago, Grand Rapids, and Marquette sit directly in the high-risk band, with some locations likely to exceed 8–10 inches based on current model projections.
Snow begins early Friday in the northern Rockies before expanding quickly east into Nebraska and South Dakota, then spreading into Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin by Friday afternoon. The system reaches Illinois, Michigan, and northern Indiana Friday night, with snowfall continuing into Saturday and tapering off by early Sunday.
The NWS warns that the timing of this storm will significantly affect post-Thanksgiving travel across the broader Midwest. Reduced visibility, slick roads, and periods of heavy snowfall may lead to flight delays, road closures, and lengthy travel times across multiple states. Travelers are urged to check local forecasts and plan extra time for return trips.
