Key Takeaways
- A potent winter storm brought blizzard conditions, treacherous travel, and power outages to parts of the Upper Midwest on Monday.
- The storm system was considered a bomb cyclone due to its rapid deepening from the Midwest into the Great Lakes.
- Over 350,000 customers were without power nationwide, with a third of those outages in Michigan.
- The storm caused more than 3,500 flight delays and over 600 cancellations at U.S. airports.
- Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes were reported in some areas, with an EF1 tornado touching down in Illinois.
Introduction to the Winter Storm
A powerful winter storm swept across the Upper Midwest on Monday, bringing blizzard conditions, treacherous travel, and power outages to several areas. The storm began spreading on Sunday across the northern Plains, with the National Weather Service warning of whiteout conditions and blizzard conditions that could make travel impossible in some areas. According to Cody Snell, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center, the wind and snow created "a pretty significant system for even this part of the country." The storm system was considered a bomb cyclone due to its rapid deepening from the Midwest into the Great Lakes, with storm intensity measured by central pressure, meaning the lower the pressure, the stronger the storm.
Storm Impacts and Effects
The strong cold front brought temperatures down by up to 50 degrees F (28 degrees C) in parts of the central U.S. on Monday, according to the Weather Prediction Center. The winds also brought "dangerous wind chills" that were expected to drop as low as minus 30 F (minus 34 C) in North Dakota and into Minnesota. Blizzard conditions eased in northern Iowa, but high winds blowing fallen snow kept over 200 miles of Interstate 35 closed on Monday, with state troopers reporting dozens of crashes during the storm, including one that killed a person. In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, snowfall ranged from 19 to 24 inches (48 to 61 centimeters), with more snow expected in the coming days, although it will be "much lighter, a little bit here or there," according to Ryan Metzger, a National Weather Service meteorologist.
Regional Weather Conditions
In New England, there were reports of freezing rain in parts of northern New York, with that threat extending into Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, according to Snell. This type of weather can put a strain on power lines and trees. In California, the weather service warned that moderate-to-strong Santa Ana winds were expected in Los Angeles and Ventura counties through Tuesday, with a high risk for downed trees due to soaked soils. Recent powerful storms brought the wettest Christmas season to Southern California in years, and two more storms are likely later this week, with forecasters warning that rain on New Year’s Day could soak the Rose Parade in Pasadena for the first time in two decades.
Power Outages and Flight Disruptions
Nationwide, more than 350,000 customers were without power on Monday morning, with about a third of those outages in Michigan, according to Poweroutage.us. There were also more than 3,500 flight delays and over 600 cancellations at U.S. airports on Monday, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware. An EF1 tornado with estimated peak winds of 98 mph (158 kph) touched down in Illinois’ Tazewell County on Sunday morning, destroying two outbuildings and snapping off numerous trees and power poles, according to the weather service’s office in Lincoln, Illinois.
Storm Intensification and Future Weather Conditions
The storm was expected to intensify as it moved east, drawing energy from a sharp clash between frigid air plunging south from Canada and unusually warm air that has lingered across the southern United States, according to the National Weather Service. Most of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was under a blizzard warning on Monday morning, with wind gusts of up to 60 mph (96 kph) expected along parts of the southern shore of Lake Superior. Blizzard conditions continued in some parts of northern Iowa on Monday morning, with forecasters warning of 1 to 3 feet (about 30 to 91 centimeters) of lake-effect snow from Monday through Thursday and high winds, with gusts up to 75 mph (121 kph), in western New York on Monday. Similar conditions were expected along Lake Erie in Michigan and Ohio. In the South, meteorologists warned severe thunderstorms are likely to signal the arrival of a sharp cold front, bringing a sudden drop in temperatures and strong north winds that will abruptly end days of record warmth throughout that region.