A powerful Midwest winter storm moves northeast, bringing blizzard conditions, ice and dangerous travel

A widespread winter storm across much of the northern United States is intensifying as it moves from the upper Midwest toward the Great Lakes and northeast, bringing blizzard conditions, heavy snow, freezing rain and strong winds to many areas.

More than 30 million people are under a winter weather watch as the system moves east, according to forecasters. And at least 2 million people are facing blizzard warnings in the Midwest. Power outages were increasing as the storm moved eastward, with more than 300,000 customers without power nationwide as of Monday morning, according to PowerOutages.com.

According to the National Weather Service’s Weather Forecast Center, dangerous conditions could continue into Wednesday as lake-effect snow and windy winds continue behind the main system, especially around the Great Lakes and inland New England. Some meteorologists are also seeing this system intensify as it crosses the Great Lakes, a process sometimes known as “bombogenesis.”

Midwest and Great Lakes: Snow conditions and widespread disturbances

The storm is delivering its most dangerous effects in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes, with heavy snow, powerful winds and near whiteout conditions reported in many areas.

Forecasters said parts of the upper Great Lakes could get more than a foot of snow, and the southern shore of Lake Superior could get up to 2 feet of snow. Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph could reduce visibility and create dangerous whiteout conditions in parts of the upper Midwest, especially areas experiencing heavy or blown snow, including parts of Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

The powerful system is expected to produce near-record swells on Lake Superior, with waves potentially reaching 34 feet.

Some areas of Michigan have already reported a foot of snow, with Minneapolis seeing between 5 and 7 inches as the storm continues to intensify.

Northeast and Mid-Atlantic: Ice, Freezing Rain and Travel Risks

As the storm pushes east, forecasters warn that ice and freezing rain could pose the greatest threat to inland New England and parts of the Northeast, where a mix of snow, ice and freezing rain is expected before warm air changes to rain. Even modest ice accumulations can make roads treacherous and increase the risk of downed trees and power outages.

The National Weather Service says up to seven-tenths of an inch of snow is expected in parts of northern New York and Vermont by Monday evening. Already, in Connecticut, more than 1,600 power outages were reported Monday as freezing rain and fog coated roads and downed equipment.

In New York, officials reported widespread outages across the upstate, with tens of thousands of customers without power Monday morning. Gov. Cathy Hochul’s office warned that strong winds combined with snowfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour could lead to “potential whiteout conditions” in some areas.

Forecasters said the most dangerous icing conditions are expected through Monday evening before temperatures gradually rise and precipitation turns to rain in many areas.

Flights: Cancellations and delays mount nationwide

Air travel has also been affected by the storm. As of mid-morning Monday, FlightAware reported at least 945 flight cancellations and more than 16,500 delays nationwide, including more than 550 cancellations and at least 2,430 delays within, or outside of, the United States.

Delta Air Lines accounted for the largest share of disruptions, with about 3% of scheduled flights canceled by mid-morning. Most of those cancellations were related to the effects of weather in the Midwest and Great Lakes, where snow, high winds and low visibility forced airlines to cut service. Major centers including Chicago’s O’Hare, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Detroit each reported dozens of cancellations as conditions worsened.