National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Lake-effect Snow and Whiteout Conditions in the Great Lakes Region; Below-average Temperatures in the East

Heavy lake-effect and lake-enhanced snow will persist downwind of the Great Lakes and produce some whiteout conditions that could cause difficult travel conditions. A coastal low will produce moderate to heavy snow over parts of southern and eastern New England into the afternoon. Below average temperatures are expected across the eastern U.S., particularly with chilly morning temperatures. Read More >

Overview

A storm system swept through the Midwest from Thursday, February 23rd, into early Saturday morning, February 25th, and produced a mix of heavy snow, thunderstorms, sleet, and freezing drizzle. The precipitation moved into the area during the evening hours of February 23rd with snow rates peaking at 1 to 3 inches per hour overnight.

The heaviest snow fell across north central Iowa, into southeast Minnesota, and north-central Wisconsin with 6 to 13" common. There was some drifting as well as winds gusted in the 30 to 40 mph range.

Elsewhere a mix of precipitation fell, which included thunderstorms with small hail. There was some icing from eastern Iowa into southern Wisconsin until the precipitation changed over to all snow by Friday evening, with an additional 1 to 3 inches falling in many areas.

Where heavy snow fell roads were difficult to dangerous to travel on.  This led to numerous accidents and school closings.

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Radar loop from 3 pm Thursday (Feb.23) to 3 am Saturday (Feb.25)
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