Winter Storm Impacting Travel In The U.S.

The West Coast has been inundated with rain over the last week, creating unsafe conditions. The excessive rainfall and snowfall have caused flooding and mudslides, as well as dangerous circumstances for residents and tourists.

Hazardous travel conditions have formed from California to sections of Colorado. The storm is presently traveling east and will cross the central plains on Wednesday, January 18, 2023.

Meteorologists are warning that the same storm system that is bringing torrential rains, snowfall, and extreme weather conditions may morph into something ‘quite potent’.

This storm will impact a 1,700-mile-long stretch of the Central United States, including major cities such as Denver, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee, by the middle of the week.

AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Richards said, “This is looking like a plowable snowfall for Denver, and accumulations of up to half a foot could occur.”

Ranging from Colorado to central Michigan up to six inches of snow is expected to fall in this time frame. Some areas may even receive more than a foot.

“The snow will then streak out into Kansas, Nebraska, and into the Great Lakes by later Wednesday into Thursday,” Richards added.

Due to this storm, the weather forecasting service warned, “anyone planning to travel when snow is in the forecast will want to have an emergency kit handy that includes essentials like snacks, water, and blankets.”

Although winter storms are common in this region of the nation, individuals planning to travel along sections of Interstates 29, 35, 39, 70, 80, and 88 should keep an eye on the weather to ensure their travel plans are not disrupted.

AccuWeather Meteorologist Matt Benz cautioned that “while the track of this storm is not set in stone, our current thinking is that where there is steady snow that falls, which could be very near or over Chicago, it may be heavy and quite impactful.”