Major winter storm impacting Central Plains, Upper Midwest, and Great Lakes, U.S.
A major winter storm will expand across the Central Plains, Upper Midwest, and Great Lakes on Friday, December 10, and Saturday, December 11, 2021.
- Snowfall rates of 50 mm (2 inches) per hour are possible, producing near whiteout conditions and dangerous travel.
- Other hazards include severe storms with possible tornadoes, heavy rainfall, across the Mid-South. Critical fire weather threats increase across the South Plains on Friday. A powerful storm is expected in portions of southern Alaska.
A strong low pressure system will track from Colorado into the Central Plains on Friday, then into the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes tonight into Saturday, NWS Weather Prediction Center warns.
Heavy snow will expand into the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes through Saturday morning.
Additional snowfall of several inches will lead to storm total snow of 30 – 60 cm (1 – 2 feet) across the highest terrain of the Central Rockies.
Image credit: NWS/Weather Prediction Center
Farther east, a swath of 20 – 35 cm (8 – 14 inches) of snow with locally higher amounts is likely from eastern South Dakota through the Upper Midwest and into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
All forms of travel will become dangerous as heavy snow rates reaching 50 mm (2 inches) per hour and strong winds create slippery roads and near whiteout conditions at times.
Additionally, the snow is expected to be heavy and wet in some areas which could produce scattered power outages.
The Weather Channel has named this storm Atticus. This is the first winter storm to be named by The Weather Channel this season. It marks the latest in the season the first winter storm has developed since the naming process began in winter 2012/13.
Featured image credit: NWS/Weather Prediction Center
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