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Snowstorm tracking across Great Lakes

Whiteout conditions likely for truckers in some areas

(Photo: Minnesota DOT)

A snowstorm that began Friday night in the Northwest spread snow all the way to the Great Lakes over the weekend. Places like Duluth, Minnesota, and Marquette, Michigan, received more than 6 inches in total. 

The storm continues to spin over the region Monday, with occasional whiteout conditions likely for truckers.


Related: 5 states with toughest chain laws for truckers


The National Weather Service still has a blizzard warning posted until 10 a.m. CT Monday for southern Cook County in far northeastern Minnesota. This includes the Tribal Lands of the Grand Portage Reservation, as well as the city of Grand Marias. Blowing snow will significantly reduce visibility and gusts up to 50 mph will elevate the risk of rollovers.


Winter storm warnings remain across far northern Wisconsin through Monday morning and lasting through Monday evening in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Anywhere from 2 to 8 inches of additional snow could pile up, with gusts of 40 to 50 mph and blowing snow in places such as Houghton, Hancock, Ontonagon and Ironwood, Michigan, as well as Rhinelander, Superior and Ashland, Wisconsin.

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A winter weather advisory remains in effect until noon CT for other areas of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, in places like International Falls, Duluth, Traverse City, Cadillac and Grand Rapids.

Southern sections of the Great Lakes won’t see much if any snow, but winds will be strong across the entire region. Major freight hubs and metropolitan areas like Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit and Milwaukee will see gusts of 40 to 50 mph, with potential power outages due to downed trees and electrical lines.

Major lanes of concern

• Interstate 90 from South Bend, Indiana, to Fairmont, Minnesota.
• Interstate 75 from Detroit to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
• Interstate 94 from Milwaukee to Minneapolis.
• Interstate 35 from Duluth to Des Moines, Iowa.


Other notable weather

Rain and strong winds will develop Monday across the Northeast, with gusts of 40 to 50 mph likely, mostly west of the Interstate 95 corridor. Rain will change to snow Monday night for interior portions of the region.

Several inches of snow Monday will return to the northern Rockies of Idaho and Montana. Snow will hit parts of the Colorado and Wyoming Rockies as well.

Storms Monday could produce large hail, severe winds and a few tornadoes in parts of the South. The best chances will be in places from eastern Texas to central Tennessee, with the primary impact zone from northern Louisiana to central Mississippi. 

Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Nick Austin.

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Nick Austin

Nick is a meteorologist with 20 years of forecasting and broadcasting experience. He was nominated for a Midsouth Emmy for his coverage during a 2008 western Tennessee tornado outbreak. He received his Bachelor of Science in Meteorology from Florida State University, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Management from the Georgia Tech. Nick is a member of the American Meteorological Society and National Weather Association. As a member of the weather team at WBBJ-TV in Jackson, Tennessee, Nick was nominated for a Mid-South Emmy for live coverage of a major tornado outbreak in February 2008. As part of the weather team at WRCB-TV in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Nick shared the Chattanooga Times-Free Press Best of the Best award for “Best Weather Team” eight consecutive years.