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A massive winter storm is affecting holiday travel across the United States this weekend, with around 53 million people under winter weather alerts from South Dakota to New York. The storm, expected to intensify on Saturday morning (November 29), is bringing steady snow showers and creating hazardous travel conditions across several states, including Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Cities such as Chicago, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Detroit, and Roanoke, Virginia, are at risk throughout the weekend.
According to Newsweek, areas in the Midwest and Great Lakes could see between six and 12 inches of snow, with the heaviest snowfall expected in Des Moines, Chicago, Green Bay, Milwaukee, and Grand Rapids. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued winter weather-related alerts spanning over a dozen states, warning drivers to exercise extreme caution due to inclement conditions.
As reported by NBC News, snow showers are expected to continue throughout Saturday, with the most intense snowfall occurring in the afternoon and evening. Snowfall totals could reach up to 14 inches in parts of Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin, northern Indiana, and Michigan. The storm has already caused significant travel disruptions, with nearly 5,000 flights delayed and over 1,500 canceled across the U.S., particularly at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
In addition to snow, the South is experiencing rain showers and thunderstorms, with a marginal risk of severe weather in parts of eastern Texas and Louisiana. This could lead to travel delays at local airports in cities like Houston, Dallas, and Austin.
The storm is expected to move eastward by Sunday morning, bringing snow to the interior Northeast and rain to the mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Cold Canadian air will follow the storm, causing temperatures to drop significantly across the Plains and Midwest.