Winter storm warnings and advisories issued as the post-Thanksgiving storm makes way into the northern U.S.
A powerful post-Thanksgiving winter storm is spreading across the Midwest and northern Plains on Friday, November 28, 2025, prompting widespread winter storm warnings and advisories from eastern Nebraska and Iowa through southern Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Total snowfall forecast graphic ending on November 30, 2025. Image credit: NWS
The post-Thanksgiving winter storm is set to bring heavy snow, mixed precipitation, and hazardous travel conditions across much of the central and northern United States from Friday, through the weekend.
Multiple National Weather Service (NWS) offices have issued winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories, extending from the northern Rockies through the Midwest and into the Great Lakes region. The system, developing Friday morning over the Dakotas, will expand eastward through Saturday, November 29.
Heavy snow is forecast across the Midwest, including central Iowa, southern Minnesota, northern Illinois, and southwestern Wisconsin.
The heaviest snowfall is forecast along and just south of the Interstate 90 corridor in southern Minnesota, where local totals could reach up to 25 cm (10 inches). Northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin could see 15–28 cm (6–11 inches), with snowfall rates approaching 2.5 cm (1 inch) per hour at times on Saturday afternoon.
Central Iowa is under a Winter Storm Warning with snowfall totals of 20–33 cm (8–13 inches) being forecast. Meanwhile, parts of eastern Nebraska, northwest Iowa, and southeast South Dakota are expected to receive 13–30 cm (5–12 inches). In parts of western and central Michigan, including along the Lake Michigan shoreline, lake-effect snow may add up to 25 cm (10 inches) or more by Saturday evening.
In the northern Rockies, additional snowfall and gusty winds are expected to affect higher terrain and mountain passes in Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado.
Gusts of 56–80 km/h (35–50 mph) will create blowing and drifting snow, with reducing visibility and creating whiteout conditions at times. Travel through mountain passes will likely become slick and hazardous Friday night through early Saturday, with improvement expected by late morning.
The winter storm system will also extend eastward into the Great Lakes and interior Northeast, where lake-effect snow continues to produce bursts of heavy accumulation and rapidly changing conditions.
Parts of northern Ohio, Pennsylvania, and western New York remain under advisories for 2.5–13 cm (1–5 inches) of snow, with isolated higher totals possible in persistent snow bands. Forecasters note that gusty winds will produce blowing snow along the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shorelines, significantly reducing visibility and complicating post-Thanksgiving travel.
Travel is expected to be difficult to dangerous across the affected regions from Friday afternoon into Saturday night. Slippery and snow-covered roads will create hazardous conditions across the northern and central U.S. during Friday evening and Saturday morning commutes.
The heaviest and most prolonged snowfall is expected from the central Plains through the Upper Midwest, with the potential for localized totals exceeding 30 cm (12 inches) in parts of Iowa and Minnesota. Elsewhere, accumulations of 5–15 cm (2–6 inches) will be common, with lighter amounts extending east toward the Great Lakes and northeastward into New England. The combination of fresh snow, strong winds, and freezing temperatures will likely create additional hazards into early Sunday.
In some regions, freezing drizzle is expected to precede the snowfall, producing a thin layer of ice that could further reduce traction on untreated surfaces. Motorists have been urged to delay travel where possible and to use extreme caution if driving is unavoidable.
References:
1 Winter Storm Warning – NWS – November 28, 2025
2 Winter Storm Advisory – NWS – November 28, 2025
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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