Marquette, Mr., – The largest lake-effect snowfall event of the season is breaking records, delivering several feet of snow to the Great Lakes snowbelt and continuing to stymie holiday travelers driving and flying home from Thanksgiving on Friday, before the lake expanse finally ends.
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On Friday, winds will move heavy snow across the eastern portion of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as close as Sault Ste. Marie, which had earlier escaped more intense snowstorms.
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The heaviest snowfall on Friday is expected around Interstate 86 in Jamestown and Olean, New York.
Farther north, another powerful snowband is expected across Interstate 90, reaching Rochester and Syracuse in central upstate New York and potentially even Albany in New York’s Capital Region.
There is a danger of the road conditions changing rapidly till Friday night.
Portions of Interstate 90 just south of Erie, Pennsylvania, were closed due to a disabled vehicle and speed restrictions were in place on Thanksgiving morning.
It comes as an early winter storm system created dangerous travel conditions and caused hundreds of crashes and dozens of driving injuries in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan earlier this week.
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Outside of Milwaukee, Ozaukee County officials said a semi tractor-trailer lost control, veered into the median on Interstate 43 and struck two oncoming cars, killing one person Wednesday afternoon.
More than 55,000 customers were without power on Thanksgiving morning in Wisconsin, Michigan and western New York.
The strongest lake-effect impacts Friday will be felt across the Great Lakes snowbelt in Ohio, Pennsylvania, western New York and New York’s Tug Hill Plateau, where lake-effect snow warnings remain in effect.
According to the Fox Forecast Center, areas in western New York and northeastern Pennsylvania could still see close to a foot of snow after the event.
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Northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula received snowfall totals of 25 inches as of Friday morning. Hurley, Michigan received 31.3 inches of snowfall.
Gaylord, Michigan set a daily snowfall record on Thanksgiving with 13.1 inches, breaking the previous record of 10.1 inches set in 2023.
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The National Weather Service offices are advising people who need to travel to be prepared for rapidly deteriorating road conditions.
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Fox Weather meteorologist Britta Merwin warned, “When the snow streaks come, you literally can’t see anything, so it will be a no travel zone.”
Major highways that remain at greatest risk of avalanches and life-threatening conditions include the Interstate 90 corridor in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York, as well as Interstates 94, 75, and 69 in Michigan.
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Meanwhile, the Fox Forecast Center is tracking a second winter storm that will affect millions of people in more than 40 states, just as many holiday travelers return home. More strong wind gusts and heavy snowfall are forecast for Central America, which is likely to cause significant delays at major airports in Central America.
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As millions of people begin returning home or head out for Black Friday shopping, a low pressure area will develop in the Rockies, and Denver is expected to get its first snowfall of the season.
According to the Fox Forecast Center, the storm will move across the Central Plains from Friday through Saturday and is expected to bring 5-8 inches of snowfall to parts of Iowa, southern Wisconsin and Illinois.
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According to the forecast center, Chicago is expected to get 8-12 inches of snowfall starting Friday, which could equal the snowiest two-day period in November since records began in 1884.
Wind and heavy snowfall may cause significant delays at Chicago, Milwaukee and Detroit airports.
South of Interstate 70, the mid-Mississippi Valley and points south and east will see repeated rounds of heavy rain starting Saturday, with rain reaching the East Coast by Sunday.
The impact on travel is expected to last until Monday.
Original article source: Intense lake-effect snowfall breaks Thanksgiving records, as holiday travelers face dangerous roads
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