Heavy snow and dangerous travel conditions forecast as winter storm looms over Thanksgiving weekend
A developing winter storm is forecast to bring accumulating snow and reduced visibility across eastern North Dakota, northern South Dakota, Minnesota, and northwestern Wisconsin from Tuesday through Wednesday, November 25–26, 2025. This may cause travel disruptions for the Thanksgiving weekends as heavy snow and winds create hazardous road conditions.
Google earth overlay of WPC WSSI 1-3 days as of November 24, 2025. Credit: WPC/Google Earth, The Watchers
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a developing low pressure system will move across the northern Plains and into the Upper Midwest from Tuesday through Wednesday, bringing widespread snow and areas of blowing snow to several states before the Thanksgiving weekend.
The system is forming as a mid-latitude cyclone over the central Plains, drawing in colder air from the Canadian Prairies and a broad plume of moisture from the central United States. Forecast models show the surface low tracking northeastward through eastern South Dakota into central Minnesota by early Wednesday.
As the system deepens, precipitation is expected to transition from rain to snow from west to east through Tuesday, with the heaviest snowfall projected during the late evening and overnight hours.
According to NWS Grand Forks, there is a 70–80 % chance of 10 cm (4 inches) of snow across north-central and northwestern Minnesota, extending into portions of eastern North Dakota. Moderate probabilities of 40 to 60 % cover areas including Grand Forks, Thief River Falls, and Bemidji. Farther south, lighter accumulations are expected, though mixed precipitation may briefly occur before colder air dominates.
The Winter Storm Severity Index (WSSI) shows a corridor of moderate impacts extending from eastern North Dakota through central Minnesota into northwestern Wisconsin, including hazardous travel due to accumulating snow, slippery roads, and reduced visibility from falling and blowing snow. Gusty winds behind the system may lead to drifting, particularly in open terrain.
Temperatures are forecast to fall below freezing across much of the region late Tuesday into Wednesday, enhancing the potential for snow accumulation and patchy ice development on untreated surfaces. While total snowfall amounts remain uncertain, localized snowfall of over 15 cm (6 inches) could occur in parts of central Minnesota and northeastern North Dakota.
The system is forecast to move eastward into Wisconsin and northern Michigan late Wednesday, bringing gradually improving conditions in the northern Plains by Thanksgiving Day.
Travelers across the region are advised to monitor updated forecasts, check state 511 road condition maps, and allow extra time for travel. Both the North Dakota and Minnesota Departments of Transportation caution that visibility may rapidly deteriorate during heavier snow and stronger wind periods.
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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