Winter Storm In Central U.S. Will Complicate Holiday Travel: NWS

A winter storm could bring blizzard like conditions and heavy snow accumulation to parts of the central U.S., complicating travel at the end of a busy holiday weekend. The National Weather Service says a winter storm will likely develop Saturday night and quickly strengthen by Sunday over the central U.S.

The NWS forecast says significant snowfall is possible from the Central Plains to the Missouri River Valley. By Sunday and into Monday morning, the snowfall is expected to shift to the Great Lakes and some of the hardest hit areas could be facing blizzard conditions fueled by strong winds, the forecast says. Snowfall totals of six inches or more are forecast and some areas could see as much as a foot of snow.

Forecasters say the same system that is bringing heavy rain and higher elevation snow to the West Coast will bring snow to the central U.S. Rain was forecast to stop on the West Coast on Saturday.

There's a chance of light freezing rain on Sunday in parts of western and northern New England, the NWS said in its forecast. Locally heavy rainfall will continue along the Northeast coast on Sunday.

Another round of showers in the mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Northeast is forecast for Monday morning.

Road conditions will deteriorate rapidly Saturday night in the plains of Nebraska, northern Kansas and western Iowa, the NWS warns. On Sunday, the NWS says the conditions will worsen in areas further to the east.

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