Cities and towns across the Great Lakes and Northeast are gearing up for yet another round of winter weather as a fast-moving storm system threatens to deliver snow, strong winds, and dangerous whiteout conditions. The strongest storm in this recent series is expected to hit Monday night, bringing gusts as powerful as 60 mph and intense snow squalls that could make travel treacherous.
Nearly 28 million people, stretching from Chicago and Milwaukee to parts of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and upstate New York, are under High Wind Warnings or Wind Advisories. By Monday afternoon, the storm had already started making its presence felt, with snow and gusty winds moving into the region.
In Buffalo, meteorologists warned that Monday night could bring near-zero visibility, thanks to powerful winds blowing snow across roads. Those same winds could knock down trees and cause scattered power outages in areas like western New York and north-central New York, especially along major routes like Interstate 90 and Interstate 81.
Snow squalls—a sudden burst of heavy snow with gusty winds—are a big concern from late Monday into Wednesday. The National Weather Service says these squalls are likely to impact areas from the eastern Great Lakes all the way to New England, including parts of Pennsylvania and the northern mid-Atlantic. Places like New York’s Southern Tier and northern Pennsylvania are at particular risk for these intense weather events, with additional squalls predicted Tuesday night into Wednesday, especially for northeastern Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania.
Some areas are already dealing with significant snowfall this winter. Erie, Pennsylvania, for example, has recorded over 92 inches so far, and Buffalo isn’t far behind with nearly 49 inches. This latest system could add to those totals, but how much snow falls will depend on the storm’s speed. If it moves too quickly, snowfall will be lighter. But if it manages to pull in more energy, heavier snow and dangerous conditions could develop.
Snow showers will continue moving through the region into Tuesday, with the heaviest snowfall expected in places like Buffalo and Watertown, New York. By midweek, yet another storm is expected to roll in, bringing light-to-moderate snow to areas further east, including Boston and New York City. While this midweek system isn’t likely to dump massive amounts of snow, it could still create slippery roads and cause minor travel headaches.
For regions further north, like Michigan and upstate New York, there’s a chance of seeing more snow and gusty winds if the storm shifts its path slightly. For now, residents across the affected areas are bracing for another dose of winter’s fury.
