CHICAGO, Illinois – The first widespread winter blast of the season is expected this weekend as a potent cold front sweeps across the Northern Plains, Upper Midwest, and Great Lakes, delivering measurable snow and a sharp temperature plunge into early next week.
According to the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center, a wave of low pressure will move across the region Saturday through Sunday, bringing the first measurable snow of the season to parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and northern Illinois. The highest snow probabilities—up to 80 percent for at least one inch—extend from eastern Minnesota through northern Wisconsin into the Upper Peninsula.
Behind the system, a powerful Arctic air mass will surge south and east, spreading winter-like cold across much of the eastern half of the country by Tuesday. Lows will drop into the 20s and 30s across the Midwest, with temperatures as much as 20 degrees below normal. Forecasters warn of the season’s first hard freeze in rural areas and potential record lows stretching to the Gulf Coast.
Travelers should prepare for slick roads and reduced visibility where snow accumulates, especially Saturday night into early Sunday. Residents are urged to protect pipes, plants, and pets as the deep chill settles in early next week.
