Central US to be slammed by heavy, wind-swept snow in wake of Christmas

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As people hit the road and take to the sky in the days following Christmas, a snowstorm is expected to take shape over part of the central United States.
"There is the potential for major travel disruptions with this storm," AccuWeather Long-Range Meteorologist Max Vido said.
After delivering snow to parts of the Intermountain West on Christmas Day, the storm will gain strength east of the Rockies at midweek.
People living in or traveling from the central High Plains to the northern Plains and Upper Midwest should prepare for potential delays during post-Christmas travel.


Storm overview 12.25 AM

Given the potential for this snowstorm to impact the major hub of Minneapolis, ripple-effect delays can spread to airports in other parts of the country that are not directly affected by the storm.
"The heaviest snow is expected south and east of Denver, but a coating to an inch of snow on Wednesday may lead to deicing operations and delays on Thursday morning," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.
Even travelers across the southern tier of the central United States can experience disruptions, albeit to a lesser extent, due to rain, flooding and severe thunderstorms.
On the northern side of this system, heavy, wind-swept snow will slam the corridor from eastern Colorado to North Dakota, central and northern Minnesota and eastward to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Within this corridor, there can be a large swath of snow totals averaging 6-12 inches with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 18 inches.


Snow map Dec 24 pm

The snow will first spread across the northern Plains on Wednesday before another band of snow streaks from eastern Colorado to around Lake Superior Wednesday night into Thursday.
Snow can linger across the Upper Midwest on Friday, according to Vido.
"The exact track of the storm will determine whether the heavier band of snow sets up over or close to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and St. Cloud, Minnesota, or farther north to near Fargo, North Dakota, and International Falls, Minnesota," according to Pydynowski.
Gusty winds can further complicate travel conditions by causing blowing and drifting snow and localized whiteouts on the roadways.
People with plans to travel along stretches of interstates 25, 29, 35, 70, 80, 90 and 94 Wednesday into Friday should anticipate difficult travel.
Download the AccuWeather app to get the latest forecast for your route.
"A swath of wintry mix, including ice, is likely to develop between the plain rain and snow areas of the Central states," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. "As with the case of the heaviest snow, the area of wintry mix will depend on the storm's track."


Late week Dec 25

Precipitation can begin as snow in some areas before a push of milder air causes a changeover to a wintry mix or even all rain.
However, as colder air wraps around the back side of the storm, the storm could then end as a period of heavy snow. This may occur around Minneapolis.
"As the rain changes back to snow, plunging temperatures can also cause wet or slushy areas to freeze and further make conditions slippery and treacherous for motorists and those traveling by foot," according to Pydynowski.
In addition, locations that begin as all rain could end as a period of heavy snow as the cold plunges southward over the central Plains.
Continue to check back with AccuWeather for the latest details on this upcoming storm.

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