Blizzard Conditions Grip Northern Plains and Great Lakes

A major winter storm is impacting millions across the Northern Plains and Great Lakes regions, bringing blizzard conditions, heavy snowfall and dangerous travel disruptions. The storm, which began impacting areas on Friday, is expected to continue through Monday, with some areas bracing for additional snowfall into Tuesday.

Blizzard Warnings and Travel Disruptions

Blizzard Warnings are in effect for parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, and Montana, even as Winter Storm Watches cover much of the western Great Lakes . Grand Forks, North Dakota and Duluth, Minnesota experienced blizzard conditions early Friday . The National Weather Service (NWS) predicts the system will move into the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley through Tuesday evening .

Airlines are proactively canceling flights, particularly at Midwest airports including Minneapolis-St. Paul, to ensure passenger safety . Delta is processing cancellations, and other airlines are expected to follow suit.

Snowfall Projections and Impacted Areas

Preliminary estimates indicate 6 to 12 inches of snow across the Northern Plains, with potential for over 12 inches near the Great Lakes due to lake-effect enhancement . Northern Minnesota and much of Michigan could see 5 to 8 inches, primarily north of major highways .

The storm caused travel disruption and power outages across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast . Food delivery services, including DoorDash, temporarily suspended operations in New York City due to the adverse weather conditions, resuming limited service on February 23 .

Storm Development and Forecast

A low-pressure system moving out of the Northern High Plains is expected to move eastward to the Northeast/Eastern Canada by Wednesday evening . The NWS urges citizens to stay home and off the roads during the peak of the storm .