The end of this week will be marked by a strong snowstorm in the Midwest, causing issues for truckers in several states.
A low-pressure system and associated cold front will move into the northern Plains and Upper Midwest, producing much colder air, wicked winds and some heavy snowfall. The impacts will be most noticeable in eastern portions of the Dakotas, as well as Minnesota, Wisconsin and northern Iowa.
Snow will begin Thursday morning across the region, lasting until late Friday evening, ending west to east. Snow totals could be highest in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, where 8 to 12 inches could pile up. Across northern Iowa and Wisconsin, totals will generally be in the range of 4 to 10 inches.
Across the Dakotas, totals will be on the lighter side of 1 to 4 inches, but the winds will be very strong, with gusts exceeding 50 mph. This could create areas of blizzard/whiteout conditions. Due to the track of the low-pressure system, winds east of the Dakotas will be much lighter, but could still produce spots of drifting snow.
A broad region west and south of the impact zone will also get pounded by dangerous winds of 50 to 75 mph. This includes eastern parts of Wyoming and Colorado, in addition to eastern Montana, most of Nebraska and parts of Kansas. Drivers will run into a high risk of rollover in places such as Goodland, Kansas; Scottsbluff, North Platte and Grand Island, Nebraska; Boulder and Fort Collins, Colorado; Laramie and Cheyenne, Wyoming; as well as Glendive and Glasgow, Montana.