Rapidly Intensifying Winter Storm Brings Blizzards, Tornadoes, and Extreme Cold Across the United States

A Widespread Storm Takes Hold

A powerful and rapidly intensifying winter storm swept across the central and eastern United States, disrupting travel and knocking out power during one of the busiest periods of the holiday season. The storm brought blizzard conditions, damaging winds, ice, and even tornadoes. It was followed by a sharp plunge in temperatures that sent millions back into deep winter.

Roads vanished beneath blowing snow. Winds roared. Travel slowed everywhere.

More than 100 million people were expected to drive for end of year trips as the storm moved through.

Deadly Crashes and Whiteout Conditions

The storm created dangerous travel conditions across the Midwest. In Detroit, MI, three semi trucks and at least 20 vehicles were involved in a major pileup on Interstate 75 late Monday morning. Snow bursts and strong winds swept through the metro area. Michigan State Police reported no injuries.

In north central Iowa, conditions turned deadly. At least one person died in a crash on Interstate 35, according to Iowa State Patrol spokesperson Alex Dinkla. Whiteout conditions forced the road to close between Ames, IA and the Minnesota border. A separate 14 vehicle crash was reported on the same stretch of roadway.

Minnesota saw hundreds of crashes since Sunday, including 31 with injuries. Minneapolis Saint Paul, MN recorded nearly six inches of snow with wind gusts exceeding 30 mph.

Air Travel Grinds to a Halt

Airports struggled to keep up as snow and wind moved through major hubs. Sunday and Monday were expected to be two of the busiest air travel days of the holiday period, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

FlightAware reported more than 3,000 flight delays and over 500 cancellations across the United States on Monday. Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI, and Minneapolis Saint Paul, MN were among the most impacted airports.

Widespread Power Outages and Record Winds

Powerful winds knocked out electricity for more than 250,000 customers across the Great Lakes and the Interior Northeast. Most outages were reported in Michigan and New York, according to PowerOutage.us.

Buffalo Niagara International Airport in Buffalo, NY recorded wind gusts of 79 mph. The National Weather Service said it was the strongest gust measured there since June 1980.

High wind warnings were posted across parts of Ohio and New York, including Cleveland, OH and Buffalo, NY. Gusts of up to 60 mph were common, with higher peaks in exposed areas.

Blizzard Conditions and Heavy Snowfall

Parts of Michigan were buried under nearly two feet of snow. Marquette, MI recorded 11.5 inches of snow on Sunday alone, setting a new daily record. Total snowfall there reached 22.3 inches and continued to climb.

The storm’s wintry core pushed toward the Great Lakes and northern New England. Northern New York and parts of northern New England reported ice accumulations of at least 0.25 inches.

Snow bands remained locked over the Great Lakes snow belts. Forecasts indicated totals of one to three feet southeast of Lake Erie and east of Lake Ontario in western New York through the end of the week.

Tornadoes and Severe Thunderstorms Add to the Threat

The storm did not bring snow alone. Its powerful cold front triggered a line of severe thunderstorms across parts of Illinois. Damaging winds and several tornadoes were reported.

One tornado destroyed structures near Decatur, IL. The contrast was sharp. Warm air surged. Then winter crashed back in.

Extreme Temperature Drop Follows the Storm

Behind the storm, a frigid Arctic air mass surged south. Much of the central and southern United States shifted from temperatures 20 to 30 degrees above average to 10 to 15 degrees below average within days.

Wind chills dropped to minus 30 degrees in parts of North Dakota and Minnesota early Monday. Frostbite became a real threat.

Temperature drops were dramatic. Missouri saw decreases of up to 55 degrees in just 24 hours. Larger portions of the Midwest and South experienced drops of 25 degrees or more.

In Springfield, IL, temperatures fell from the 70s into the 40s within hours on Sunday. In St. Louis, MO, the high reached 78 degrees, an all time December record. As the cold front passed, temperatures dropped 10 degrees in about 10 minutes. Eight hours later, snow was falling with temperatures in the low 20s, the National Weather Service reported.

Winter Hazards Linger Into the New Year

Although blizzard conditions are expected to ease later in the week, winter hazards remain in place. Snow, ice, and strong winds continue to affect travel across the Great Lakes and Northeast.