Lake-Effect Snow Disrupts Holiday Travel
MARQUETTE, Mich. – The season’s largest lake-effect snow event has set records, blanketing the Great Lakes region with multiple feet of snow. This situation has left many holiday travelers frustrated as they attempt to return home following Thanksgiving.
On Friday, winds are expected to bring heavier snowfall to eastern areas of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, particularly near Sault Ste. Marie, which had largely evaded the intense snow bands earlier.
Near Interstate 86, around Jamestown and Olean, New York, the heaviest snowfalls are anticipated. Further north, another strong snow band is likely to cover Interstate 90, possibly reaching cities like Rochester, Syracuse, and even Albany.
The risk of rapidly changing whiteout conditions will extend into Friday night. Earlier on Thanksgiving morning, a section of Interstate 90 just south of Erie, Pennsylvania, was closed due to impaired vehicles, alongside imposed speed limits.
This situation follows previous winter storms that created hazardous travel conditions, leading to hundreds of accidents and numerous injuries in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan earlier in the week.
In Ozaukee County, near Milwaukee, a tragic incident resulted in one fatality when a semi-truck lost control, crossing the median on Interstate 43 and colliding with two oncoming vehicles.
As of early Thanksgiving morning, over 55,000 customers were without power in parts of Wisconsin, Michigan, and western New York.
On Friday, the most significant impacts from the lake effect will be felt in the Great Lakes Snow Area, encompassing parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and western New York, as well as New York State’s Tug Hill Plateau, where warnings remain in place.
Areas in western New York and northeastern Pennsylvania could potentially see up to 100 centimeters of snow, according to predictions.
By Friday morning, snow totals were already surpassing 25 inches in northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, with Hurley, Michigan, reporting 31.3 inches. Gaylord, Michigan, broke a daily snowfall record with 13.1 inches on Thanksgiving Day, surpassing last year’s record of 10.1 inches.
The National Weather Service is advising travelers to brace for quickly worsening road conditions. Meteorologist Britta Merwin from FOX Weather cautioned that visibility would diminish significantly when the snow hits.
Critical highways facing blizzard conditions include Interstate 90 through Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York, as well as Interstates 94, 75, and 69 in Michigan.
Meanwhile, a second winter storm is being tracked by the FOX Prediction Center, set to impact millions across over 40 states just as travelers return home.
More intense wind gusts and heavy snow are anticipated in the central U.S., which could lead to significant delays at major airports in the region.
As millions either head home or venture out for Black Friday shopping, a low-pressure system from the Rocky Mountains is projected to deliver the first snow of the season to Denver.
The storm is projected to sweep across the Central Plains from Friday to Saturday, bringing 5 to 8 inches of snow to parts of Iowa, southern Wisconsin, and Illinois. Chicago is bracing for 8 to 12 inches, potentially tying the record from 1884 for the heaviest two-day snowfall in November.
Airports in Chicago, Milwaukee, and Detroit might face significant delays due to both wind and heavy snowfall.
Additionally, heavy rain is predicted to continue south of Interstate 70 in the central Mississippi Valley and neighboring regions, with rain expected to reach the East Coast by Sunday. Travel disruptions are expected to persist until Monday.
