'Winter Storm Q' to Impact Friday Morning Commute, Up to 6 Inches Expected

It won't go down as the worst snowfall, but the overnight timing for the latest Winter Weather Advisory will certainly make your drive to work on Friday a challenge.

According to Patch's media partners at WISN 12, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory, which goes into effect from midnight Thursday to 6 p.m. Friday.

The timing puts a band of moderate snow, which is part of a much larger system named "Winter Storm Q," over our area between midnight and 6 a.m. Friday, with about 3 to 4 inches expected. In addition, winds out of the east are expected to increase to 10 to 20 mph, with gusts of 25 to 30 mph overnight into Friday morning before they taper off to a manageable 5 to 10 mph Friday afternoon.

Light snow will continue through the day Friday, bringing another 1 or 2 but tapering off in the late afternoon and evening. In addition, warmer temperatures may also bring some freezing drizzle into the mix. 

The mixture of the snow's timing and the winds will create snow-covered roads along with reduced visibilities with blowing and drifting snow to make travel hazardous, especially overnight Thursday night into the Friday morning commute.

The storm totals are predicted at 4 to 6 inches, with lower totals falling south and east. However, there's always someone worse off, and in this case the central plains drew the short straw, with storm conditions becoming blizzard-like and nearly two feet of snow expected to fall in portions of Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri. 

Storm warnings or advisories have been posted in 17 states, with snow also seen in Arizona, California and Nevada from this system.