Snow and chilly temperatures have already greeted some Thanksgiving travelers and plenty more could be on its way this holiday weekend, with winter storm warnings Saturday across much of the northern part of the country.
Storm warnings and advisories extended from Montana to New York, the National Weather Service said. Snow was expected to start Friday and last well into the weekend in some areas with Iowa and Illinois getting the brunt of it. Six inches (about 15 centimeters) to a foot (30 centimeters) or more of snow is expected in much of west-central Illinois Friday night through Saturday night.
So far, forecast conditions do not meet blizzard warning criteria, meteorologists said — winds of at least 35 mph (56 kph), visibilities of less than a quarter mile (400 meters) and lasting more than three hours.
A storm that already brought snow to parts of the northern Plains states and the Great Lakes region had continued Friday. Snowfall totals of at least a foot were expected by the end of the storm, particularly downwind of Lake Superior across the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan and downwind of lakes Erie and Ontario, the weather service said. Areas of central New York state could see a foot (30 centimeters) of snow.
More than a foot (30 centimeters) of snow is likely in parts of Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan on Saturday, according to the weather service.