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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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Blizzard warnings and winter storm alerts are in effect across parts of the U.S., with up to 36 inches of snow in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and rising avalanche concerns in the Rockies.
National Weather Service (NWS) advice across the blizzard warnings repeatedly stresses restricting travel to emergencies only when conditions deteriorate.
If travel cannot be avoided, guidance emphasizes a winter survival kit and basics such as food, water and a flashlight, plus staying with your vehicle if stranded.
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Road conditions are repeatedly routed through state 511 services.
In mountain areas, backcountry users are urged not to get caught unprepared as snow and wind raise avalanche concerns.
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Avalanche Danger In The Rockies
Avalanche danger is expected to increase in Montana’s high country as heavy snow and strong winds continue, according to NWS warnings.
In the Absaroka/Beartooth Mountains and Crazy Mountains, forecasters said additional snow of 6 to 18 inches is possible, with wind gusts up to 65 mph, conditions that can quickly worsen backcountry travel and visibility.
Upper Midwest: Blizzard Conditions Expected
Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin are expected to bear the brunt of the treacherous conditions, with the NWS warning that a powerful winter storm will bring extreme snowfall totals and strong winds, with travel becoming “very difficult or impossible” late Saturday night through Sunday.
Forecasters said a broad area of 12 to 18 inches is expected across central Minnesota and western Wisconsin, with a narrower swath that may approach 2 feet in parts of far east as central Minnesota and west central Wisconsin.
Snowfall rates of 2 to 2.5 inches per hour are possible late Saturday night.
A wintry mix of rain, freezing rain and sleet is also expected to push north into southern Minnesota overnight, before turning back to all snow Sunday morning.
Winds increase as the system matures.
Northwest winds are expected to rise to 30 to 40 mph on Sunday, with gusts of 50 to 55 mph possible, driving blowing snow and reduced visibility.
Minnesota Blizzard Warnings
Several Minnesota areas are slated to shift from winter storm warnings into blizzard warnings Sunday, with whiteout conditions a core concern.
Western Minnesota counties Kandiyohi, Renville, Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle, Pope, Stevens, Swift and Yellow Medicine are under a winter storm warning from 4 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday for 10 to 15 inches and gusts up to 35 mph, followed by a blizzard warning from 10 a.m. Sunday to 4 a.m. Monday with additional snow up to 2 inches and gusts up to 45 mph.
Meeker and McLeod counties have a winter storm warning from 4 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday calling for 11 to 15 inches, then a blizzard warning from 10 a.m. Sunday to 4 a.m. Monday, with an extra 1 to 3 inches and gusts up to 45 mph.
South-central Minnesota counties Sibley, Blue Earth, Brown, Le Sueur, Nicollet, Rice, Steele, Waseca and Watonwan are under a winter storm warning from 7 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday for mixed precipitation (2 to 6 inches of snow, around a half inch of sleet and about a tenth of an inch of ice) with gusts up to 40 mph.
A blizzard warning follows from 10 a.m. Sunday to 4 a.m. Monday, with an additional 3 to 5 inches and gusts up to 50 mph.
Redwood County has a winter storm warning from 7 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday for 4 to 7 inches of snow plus sleet and ice, then a blizzard warning from 10 a.m. Sunday to 4 a.m. Monday with an additional 1 to 3 inches and gusts up to 50 mph.
Far southern Minnesota counties Martin, Faribault and Freeborn have a winter storm warning from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday for up to 2 inches of snow with sleet and ice, followed by a blizzard warning from 1 p.m. Sunday to 4 a.m. Monday is calling for an additional 3 to 5 inches and gusts up to 55 mph.
South Dakota Blizzard Warning
Additional blizzard warnings cover the Minnesota–South Dakota border region.
In Minnesota, Big Stone and Traverse counties, and in South Dakota, Day, Marshall and Roberts counties, a winter storm warning runs from Saturday afternoon into early Sunday, followed by a blizzard warning from early Sunday morning through Sunday evening.
Forecasters warned of 10 to 19 inches of snow with wind gusts up to 50 mph, making travel very difficult to impossible.
Farther west in South Dakota, Edmunds, McPherson and Brown counties are under a winter storm warning Saturday afternoon into early Sunday, followed by a blizzard warning through Sunday evening, with 6 to 10 inches of snow and gusts up to 50 mph.
Wisconsin: Up To 24 Inches of Snow
Wisconsin warnings include multiple areas forecasting 18 to 24 inches of snow, with locally higher amounts possible and wind gusts up to 45 mph—conditions that could produce considerable blowing and drifting snow and near-blizzard conditions late Sunday into Monday.
Farther north, separate warnings in the Lake Superior snowbelt call for 20 to 32 inches in places, with gusts up to 45 mph and travel expected to be very difficult to impossible.
Upper Michigan: 3 Feet Of Snow
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is under some of the highest-end totals in the recent NWS warnings, with winter storm warnings calling for 1 to 3 feet of snow and blizzard conditions possible.
Portions of central Upper and western Upper Michigan (including areas such as Marquette, Delta, Baraga, Ontonagon and Houghton counties) are under a winter storm warning from 5 a.m. Sunday to 2 a.m. Tuesday, with 1 to 3 feet possible (1 to 2 feet in the Keweenaw) and wind gusts up to 50 mph—possibly as high as 60 mph in the Keweenaw and along the lakeshore.
Gogebic, Iron, Dickinson and Menominee counties are under a winter storm warning from 1 a.m. Sunday to 7 p.m. Monday, with 1 to 3 feet possible and gusts up to 45 mph.
Alger, Luce and Schoolcraft counties are under a winter storm warning from 5 a.m. Sunday to 8 a.m. Tuesday, with 1 to 3 feet possible and gusts up to 60 mph.
A separate warning for eastern Upper Michigan highlights heavy mixed precipitation, with 1 to 3 feet of snow and sleet and ice accumulations around a quarter-inch, plus gusts up to 45 mph, and notes travel could be nearly impossible.
Pacific Northwest, Northern Plains, New York
Several winter storm warnings are short-duration, expiring Saturday morning, focused on mountain travel in Washington and Idaho.
Those alerts cite additional snow generally in the 2 to 5 inch range in some locations (higher in Idaho’s mountains), with gusty winds and difficult travel over passes.
In North Dakota, winter storm warnings call for around 5 to 9 inches with blowing snow and gusts up to 35 to 45 mph, expiring at different times from early Sunday morning into Sunday evening depending on the area.
In New York, winter storm warnings were set to expire Saturday afternoon, with additional accumulations generally in the low single digits in some areas and higher totals of 6 to 12 inches in the eastern Lake Ontario region, alongside gusts up to 40 mph.
Hawaii: Summit Blizzard Conditions
Hawaii is also facing weather warnings, limited to the Big Island summits above 12,000 feet.
An NWS winter storm warning remains in effect until 6 p.m. HST Saturday for Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, calling for 12 to 18 inches of snow and winds that could gust as high as 110 mph, with periods of near-zero visibility in blowing snow.
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