By AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Jan. 13, 2022 10:35 AM EST | Updated Jan. 14, 2022 6:48 PM EST
A snowstorm poised to traverse the Southeast and Northeast with snow, ice and rain has begun its journey in the northern Plains and Midwest, where AccuWeather forecasters say up a foot or more of snow may fall across six states and lead to hazardous travel.
Winter storm watches and warnings were put into effect from eastern North Dakota to northern Missouri ahead of the heavy snow. Fargo, North Dakota; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Des Moines, Iowa, are included in these alerts.
While some may be familiar with an "Alberta clipper," this system originated in Canada as a "Saskatchewan screamer."
This radar image shows snow (blue) spreading southward with rain (green) on the southwestern flank of the storm as of midday Friday, Jan. 14, 2022. (AccuWeather)
"A Saskatchewan screamer is similar to an Alberta clipper, except that it forms in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan," explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Jessica Storm.
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With cold air firmly in place, precipitation began as snow and arrived in North Dakota Thursday evening before expanding into Minnesota and eastern South Dakota through Thursday night.
A plow camera at 6:02 a.m. CST on Friday morning shows snow covering I-94 near St. Cloud, Minnesota (Photo/Minnesota Department of Transportation).
By Friday afternoon, Fargo already recorded over 3 inches of snow in some areas. In Northeast South Dakota, the city of Milbank recorded 8 inches of snow with snowfall still occurring.
Further south, areas of Ames, Iowa started to see snow totals reach 3 inches by Friday afternoon.
The impressive cold air will continue to produce high-ratio snow. This means that it will not take much moisture to produce impressive snowfall totals. Into Friday night and the weekend, snow may come down at a rate of 1-3 inches per hour, which will greatly heighten the risk of anyone out on the roadways becoming stranded.
AccuWeather's Jillian Angeline said bridges were already icy in the Des Moines area, with some roads east of Des Moines being completely covered with snow on Friday.
With snow arriving all the way from North Dakota to Iowa before daybreak, road conditions will continue to deteriorate quickly for many in the region ahead of the morning commute, with visibility dropping drastically and roads becoming snow-packed and slippery.
"It is not completely out of the question that a few spots measure over a foot of snow," said Storm.
Fargo is projected to receive 6-10 inches of snow before the storm ends on Friday night.
The system will continue to dive southward throughout the day Friday, with snow accumulating in cities like Des Moines, Iowa; and Minneapolis throughout the day. With snow not ending until Saturday morning in much of Iowa, much of the state can expect 6-12 inches of snow.
While Fargo, Minneapolis and Des Moines have had multiple storms bring accumulating snow already this winter, that has not necessarily been the case in Missouri. St. Louis did not receive its first accumulating snow until Jan. 2, and that was only 0.1 of an inch. After a high temperature of 59 degrees Wednesday, the Gateway to the West will be in for a snap back to reality with snow from Friday evening through Saturday morning. The city is forecast to have 3-6 inches before all is said and done, providing the first significant snowfall of the 2021-2022 winter season.
Regardless of the exact snowfall totals in any given location, travelers will need to factor extra time into their plans.
"Road and airport delays are likely, and motorists will need to slow down and plan for extra travel time to reach their destination," said Storm.
Strong winds may also cause blowing and drifting snow during the storm.
Some of the most hazardous conditions may move into the northern Plains and Midwest after the snow has ended, as frigid air spills into the region. Parts of northeastern North Dakota and northern Minnesota could fall to between minus 15 and minus 20 F Friday night. The core of the cold will be farther south Saturday night. Locations as far south as southern Iowa and northeastern Missouri may fall just below zero.
After the snow reaches northern Missouri by Friday evening, the storm will continue into the central Mississippi and Tennessee river valleys through Saturday.
Brisk winds are also forecast in this area, with wind gusts of 30-40 mph from southern Missouri to Mississippi and western Tennessee Saturday. The wind accompanying the rain initially, and then the snow later on, will bring reduced visibility for anyone on the roads.
The strongest winds are expected on the southwestern flank of the storm, across portions of the central and southern Plains, where wind gusts over 40 mph are expected. The howling winds Saturday can raise the risk of wildfires in areas that do not pick up snow. Wind gusts from western and central Kanas to central Texas will frequent 40-60 mph with locally higher bursts.
Waves of cold are likely to target the northern Plains and Midwest through next week, including another cold spell likely midweek. Luckily, as of now, no other significant snow is in the forecast through much of next week. However, a few bouts of light snow will be possible.
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