Snowstorm to bring difficult travel along I-90, I-94 corridors of midwestern US into Monday

By Renee Duff, AccuWeather meteorologist

January 27, 2019, 3:31:05 PM EST

Before enduring the harshest cold in years, Minneapolis and Chicago are among the cities where a snowstorm will bring slow and difficult travel and disruptions to daily routines through Monday.

Snow diving into the northern Plains is expected to sweep eastward to the Great Lakes through Monday.

Enough snow can fall along this swath for plans and activities to be altered or canceled. Schools may be forced to use another snow day on Monday, and people may have difficulties getting to work.

More than 150 flights have already been canceled for Monday at Chicago's Midway International Airport, according to FlightAware.

"The storm is expected to drop a swath of 6-12 inches of snow along the corridor from Fargo, North Dakota, to Minneapolis; Green Bay, Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Grand Rapids and Traverse City, Michigan," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.

Within this corridor across southeastern Minnesota to the lower peninsula of Michigan, there can be an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 18 inches.

"The track of the storm should bring a disparity in snow totals to Chicagoland with 6 inches or more expected near the Wisconsin border to 1-3 inches in the far southern suburbs," according to Pydynowski.

Even though the heaviest snow will fall north of Chicago and Detroit, there can still be enough snow to cause slick travel. A travel nightmare can be anticipated in Chicago with the snow anticipated during the Monday morning commute.

Residents of Chicago and Detroit should not let their guard down despite missing out on the highest snow totals and temperatures climbing above freezing for a time on Monday. Slushy areas can become icy and freeze solid as the Arctic air blasts in behind the storm.

Stretches of interstates 29, 35, 75, 80, 90, 94 and 96 could be severely affected by the storm.

"The snow north of the storm's track will be powdery, which will help ease the hardships of shoveling amid the frigid conditions," Pydynowski said.

However, gusty winds whipping in with the storm can blow around the light and fluffy snow, creating blowing and drifting concerns as well as whiteouts on the roadways.

Strong winds will whip through the High Plains even in the absence of snow, with gusts past 50 mph possible from eastern Montana to Nebraska and Kansas through Monday.

Such winds threaten to overturn high-profile vehicles on interstates 70, 80, 90 and 94.

“There can be significant disruptions to air travel, especially with the snow targeting Chicago for the Monday morning commute,” said Pydynowski. “Delays and cancellations at this major hub can impact those flying elsewhere across the U.S.”

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Air travel can also be severely affected in Minneapolis and Detroit.

Download the free AccuWeather app to see just how much snow will accumulate in your area.

Snow will not just be confined to the Midwest. The storm will also unleash a quick-hitting shot of snow along the spine of the Rockies, whitening Denver on Monday morning.

Brutal cold will plunge into the nation’s midsection as the threat for snow focuses on the South and the Northeast. 

The cold can catch up to the tail end of the storm quickly enough for rain to changeover to snow in portions of the Ohio and Tennessee valleys and into part of the South from Monday night to Tuesday.

Even if no snow falls, wet sidewalks and roads can rapidly freeze and turn icy as the Arctic blast rushes in.

The impending cold is expected to be the harshest in years across the Midwestwith records set to fall and AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures anticipated to plunge to under 40 below zero F in many communities.

Winter storms create a unique set of challenges in the Northeast compared to other areas of the country. Great minds often come together to face the challenge. AccuWeather Meteorologist Dave Dombek joins WABC New York's Chief Meteorologist, Lee Goldberg to talk about their years of collaboration taking on the big storms.