Winter Storm Warning Issued for 16 States as More Than 2 Feet of Snow Looms

The Nation Weather Service issued a winter weather warning for much of the Midwest and Northeast as an "intense cyclone" will bring heavy snow and blizzard conditions through much of the region while adding thunderstorms through the eastern United States and the south.

A low pressure system is "rapidly" developing in the Mississippi Valley and will bring "heavy snow and blizzard conditions will continue across the upper Midwest and the Great Lakes through tomorrow."

Great Lakes Region Bracing for More Than 2 Feet of Snow

Heavy winds blowing rain and thunderstorms in the Great Lakes region are expected to give way to heavy snowfall on Sunday night through Monday.

Snowfall amounts are expected to well exceed a foot across the upper Great Lakes, particularly along the south shore of Lake Superior where 2 feet of snow is possible together with whiteout conditions at the height of the storm.

"A rapidly-intensifying storm center will move northeast through Michigan tonight. heavy snow and blizzard conditions continue over the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes with a heavy wintry mix over the Northeast through Monday. Heavy lake-effect snow is then expected from Lakes Erie and Ontario Monday afternoon into Tuesday," the National Weather Service warned.

Updated key messages this afternoon for the Late December Blizzard. pic.twitter.com/6JyYOpWaNC

— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) December 28, 2025

Michigan is expected to receive the brunt of the storm, but Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Kentucky and Maine are all expected to be impacted by the storm.

Part of the Great Lakes region are expected to see over a foot of snowfall on Sunday night alone with "blizzard conditions, with treacherous travel conditions and scattered power outages" expected to hit.

Hazardous Ice and Strong Winds Bringing Dangerous Wind Chills

The NWS also warned against a severe ice storm and dangerous wind chills of more than 30 degrees below zero.

"A heavy wintry mix is expected this evening over northern Michigan before changing to snow with freezing spray in the Northern Great Lakes. Over the interior Northeast expected 0.25" to 0.50" icing through Monday morning," it said.

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