What's New
Animated weather footage shared on windy.com shows the current location of an Alberta clipper winter storm bringing snow to the Great Lakes region as it continues its trek eastward.
Why It Matters
Concern about winter weather has grown over the past few days as millions of Americans begin executing their travel plans for the Christmas holiday. A report from AAA estimates that more than 119 million Americans will travel for the holiday this year, and severe weather could hinder those plans, regardless of whether people are traveling by plane or car.
What to Know
The Alberta clipper began bringing hazardous winter weather across the northern United States on Wednesday. An Alberta clipper is a fast-moving storm system that originates in Canada and zips across the northern U.S.
More winter storm warnings have since been issued across North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin, with winter weather advisories extending into South Dakota, Iowa and Michigan.
Animated weather radar footage from windy.com shows that most of the storm is centered over southeast Wisconsin, with some impacts stretching into Illinois.
Regardless of how much snow the system brings to the Northeast, meteorologists have warned that the storm will pull in some of the coldest temperatures of the season into the region.
Animated weather footage depicting what sort of precipitation will fall during the storm's progression reveals that much of the precipitation will fall as snow.
The heaviest snowfall so far has occurred in North Dakota, with some areas reporting up to 7 inches, according to National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Prediction Center data.
Over the next three days, much of the new snow will fall in parts of Michigan, western New York and across northern and eastern Pennsylvania. Nearly 4 inches is expected in parts of New York, with widespread amounts of at least 3 inches across northern Pennsylvania and 2 inches expected in Michigan.
What People Are Saying
NWS Twin Cities meteorologist Paige Veserat told Newsweek: Up to 5 inches of snow has already fallen in parts of Minnesota, and the region is expecting at least another 2 inches. Another storm system could move into the area on Sunday, Veserat warned, though the snowfall amounts likely won't be significant.
NWS Weather Prediction Center, on X: "A progressive Clipper system is creating hazardous conditions in the northern Plains and Upper Midwest today with high winds and heavy snow. Heavy snow will continue in the Upper Midwest through tonight, then the system will weaken on Friday as it approaches the Appalachians."
NWS La Crosse, Wisconsin, in a winter storm warning: "The heaviest snow with our winter storm is shifting into Wisconsin with some breaks in the snow occurring west of the Mississippi River. However, any areas under any snow bands may still pick up a quick 1 to 3 inches of snow. More widespread light to moderate snow moves in later this afternoon and evening and lasts into the overnight hours, resulting in continued poor traveling conditions."
What Happens Next
The full impacts of the storm system's expected snowfall across the Northeast remain to be seen, though residents in the affected areas are encouraged to keep an eye on NWS weather alerts.
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