Snowstorm to blanket 1,000-mile-long swath of Midwest this weekend

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

January 11, 2019, 3:26:43 AM EST

Motorists along the Interstate 64 and 70 corridors of the Plains and Midwest can expect a slow and slippery journey as a storm with snow takes aim from Friday to Sunday.

For many areas, this will be a long-duration winter storm event that lasts more than 12 hours and perhaps as long as 48 hours in some cases. Over the central states alone, snow will fall on more than a 1,000-mile-long west-to-east swath.

Airline passengers in the central U.S. from Denver to St. Louis, Cincinnati and Chicago can expect direct impacts due to snow with flight delays, changes and cancellations. Indirect impacts on flights can occur in Detroit, Minneapolis and Dallas.

Snow will first fall over the Colorado Rockies and High Plains through Friday evening.

During the day Friday, rain will surge northeastward across the southern and central Plains. However, as the storm strengthens and the atmosphere cools, a change to snow is forecast from much of central and eastern Kansas to Missouri.

Snow is forecast to spread across the Ohio Valley states during Friday night and reach parts of Ohio and eastern Kentucky during Saturday morning.

The snow will continue through much of the day Saturday over the central Plains and may continue into Sunday over portions of the middle Mississippi and Ohio valleys.

Enough snow to shovel and plow is forecast from central Kansas to much of Missouri, northern Arkansas, central and southern Illinois, much of Indiana, central and northern Kentucky, central and southern Ohio and much of West Virginia.

A general 3-6 inches of snow is likely in this swath. However, an area of up to 6 inches of accumulation can occur with up to 12 inches possible.

Download the free AccuWeather app to see the start and end time of the storm as well as how much snow is predicted for your area.

"For cities such as Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Kentucky and others, this will be the first significant snowstorm of the cold weather season," according to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams.

"Extra caution is advised when traveling as some motorists may be rusty with their winter driving skills," Abrams said.

For St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, this will not be the first snowstorm of the season, but it could end up being the biggest so far. The storm may graze Omaha, Nebraska, and Des Moines, Iowa with a light covering of snow.

Shoveling and plowing operations are likely to be needed in preparation for the NFL playoff game in Kansas City on Saturday afternoon. Snow may continue to fall into the game.

RELATED: 
NFL divisional playoffs: Frigid conditions in store for AFC matchups in Kansas City, New England 
Snowstorm to strike Appalachians to mid-Atlantic coast this weekend 
Expert explains whether you should opt for all-season or winter tires 
Winter safety: 4 dangerous driving myths debunked

Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland will be on the northern edge of the storm. Moisture from Lake Michigan may produce a little boost in the snow around Chicago. Meanwhile, dry air from the north may keep much of the snow south of Detroit.

During Saturday night, the steadiest snow will retreat eastward to the Ohio Valley.

However, some snow may linger into Sunday over eastern portions of the Ohio Valley as the bulk of the storm affects parts of the southern Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic coast.

Along the southern edge of the snow, ice or a wintry mix is in store from parts of southern Kansas to northern Arkansas, southern Kentucky and northern Tennessee. In a few pockets within this icy zone, there may be enough to weigh down trees and power lines, but the main concern will be for slippery roads and sidewalks.

Farther south along the I-20 and I-10 corridors, a period of rain with perhaps a locally heavy thunderstorm is in store as the storm progresses eastward this weekend.

How can you stay healthy this winter season? Tune in to find out! Join host Regina Miller and her guest Dr. Anthony Ng, senior physician executive at Northern Light Acadia Hospital and Chief of Psychiatry at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, as they discuss Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) as a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons. Also, Staff Education Coordinator for Centre LifeLink EMS Frank Cianfrani discusses cardiac and respiratory care as it relates to winter activities and provides suggestions on how to stay safe this winter.