Chicago, IL – A powerful early-season winter storm is setting up across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes this week, with Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York all under Winter Storm Watches that stretch into the busy Thanksgiving travel period.
According to multiple National Weather Service (NWS) offices, the system will first impact Minnesota on Tuesday into Wednesday, where a potent storm will change rain over to snow. Parts of Stevens, Pope, Stearns, and Benton counties are under a Winter Storm Watch for 3 to 5 inches of snow, combined with winds gusting up to 40–45 mph, leading to blowing snow and hazardous evening and morning commutes.
Farther east, the highest totals are expected in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where the NWS in Marquette warns of 8 to 16 inches in Iron and Marquette counties, and an even more intense corridor of 14 to 25 inches across Keweenaw, Ontonagon, Houghton, Baraga, and Gogebic counties. Winds may gust 40–50 mph along Lake Superior, creating whiteout conditions and making some roads nearly impassable at times.
Northern Lower Michigan is also in the path. Antrim, Charlevoix, Crawford, Kalkaska, and Otsego counties could see 5 to 9 inches, with localized amounts over 10 inches and 45 mph gusts reducing visibility and making holiday travel “hazardous” from Wednesday afternoon through Friday morning.
In northern Wisconsin, including Vilas, Oneida, Forest, and Florence counties, forecasters expect 4 to 12 inches, with 12 to 18 inches possible in parts of Vilas County. Strong northwest winds will add considerable blowing and drifting snow through Wednesday night.
On the eastern side of the Great Lakes, the same cold air and wind setup will fuel lake-effect snow in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York from late Wednesday into Friday and Saturday. Areas downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario, including Buffalo, Erie, Syracuse, and Oneida County, may see 7 inches or more, with some bands producing near-whiteout conditions, 40–50 mph gusts, and significant Thanksgiving travel disruptions.
