Snow to bring holiday travel delays for Plains and Midwest

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Avatar of Linda Hohnholz
Written by Linda Hohnholz

A fast-moving snowstorm will sweep through the Plains and Midwest through the middle of the week, but its impacts come during the busiest travel time of the year.

A fast-moving snowstorm will sweep through the Plains and Midwest through the middle of the week, but its impacts come during the busiest travel time of the year.

People from the Dakotas to the Tennessee Valley who plan on taking to the road for the Thanksgiving holiday may need to set aside alternative travel plans.

Although the storm will zip across the country’s midsection on Tuesday into Wednesday and likely not last too long, a quick burst of snow could still bring significant travel delays.

The storm will have the ability to quickly lower visibilities for drivers, putting a limit on speed as folks travel from one destination to another for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Dakotas will have snowfall on Tuesday, perhaps bringing a quick coating to a couple of inches in some spots. Bismarck to Rapid City, east-southeast to Sioux Falls and Omaha could see accumulating snowfall.

Travel on Interstate-90 and I-94 may become difficult at times through Tuesday night. Even a coating of snow can make roadways slick and hard to navigate.

Winds will likely increase for a time with gusts around 35 to 40 mph possible through the Dakotas. This, combined with falling snow, could make driving even more of a challenge.

AccuWeather.com Meteorologists suggest leaving early for any holiday events, and to prepare possible alternative routes to avoid the heaviest snow and most travel delays. Make sure to keep checking back with AccuWeather.com for updated forecasts regarding this storm.

During Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, slippery travel is likely along I-35 from north of Kansas City, Missouri, to Des Moines, Iowa, and Minneapolis, as well as along I-29 north of Kansas City to Omaha, Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Fargo, North Dakota.

Know when the snow will affect your location by using AccuWeather’s MinuteCastยฎ. It has the minute-by-minute forecast for your exact location. Type your city name, select MinuteCast, and input your street address. On mobile, you can also use your GPS location. Please do not use your phone while you are driving though.

The storm will dip down through the Midwest on Wednesday and eventually into the Tennessee Valley by Thursday morning.

Folks with flights in and out of St. Louis may have some delays on Wednesday as snow, perhaps a snow and rain mix affects the area.

Those planning on traversing I-44 across Missouri, from Springfield to St. Louis, could run into some slick roadways, especially around the Saint Louis area. On I-70 from Kansas City to St. Louis will have similar problems.

Don’t forget to turn on your headlights during low-visibility events. This will allow other drivers to see you better.

Chicago will likely miss out on the storm as it takes a southwest path past the area. However, flights originating from the East or parts of the northern Plains could be delayed.

While snow is affecting part of the North Central states, a major winter storm will be unfolding across the mid-Atlantic to New England on Wednesday through Thursday, bringing significant travel and football game delays in that region.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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