Colorado, Nebraska and other parts of the central U.S. are facing a major snow storm Wednesday that has already broken records in Arizona – and it could cross more than 1,700 miles of the country.
Swaths of the eastern Rockies, the Plains, and the upper Midwest are under winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories Wednesday, and parts of Nebraska could see up to 17 inches of snow.
The National Weather Service had issued a winter storm warning for nine states, as of Wednesday morning.
The storm could move all the way to parts of Michigan. Areas in the northern part of the state are under a winter storm watch, which will remain in effect until Thursday night.
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Here’s what you need to know as winter weather intensifies this week.
What winter weather can Michigan expect?
The National Weather Service in Gaylord, Michigan on Wednesday afternoon said heavy snow is likely, with snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches expected in the area.
The heaviest snow is expected on Thursday morning.
Winds will also likely “gust to between 30 and 40 mph,” according to the weather service.
“Plan on snow covered and slippery road conditions,” the weather service shared. “The hazardous conditions will likely impact the morning and evening commutes.”
Where will the winter storm hit? Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa stares down snow
The storm will stretch over the Four Corners region and continue to impact Omaha, Nebraska; Des Moines, Iowa; Green Bay, Wisconsin and even covering parts of Michigan by Thursday, according to AccuWeather and the National Weather Service.
Denver had recorded more than 7 inches of snow by 5 a.m. local time Wednesday, and totals were expected to rise, the Denver Post reported. Fort Collins, Colorado, received 4 to 5 inches of snow as of Wednesday morning, according to Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network reports.
Record-breaking snowfall in northern Arizona
More than 2 feet of snow fell over two days across parts of northern Arizona, becoming the 25th largest snow event in Flagstaff history and breaking the record for single-day snow accumulation on Sunday.
The Flagstaff Airport measured 14.8 inches on Sunday, smashing the previous record of 8.9 inches that held for 45 years. As snow continued to fall, accumulation eventually reached 30 inches at the airport by Tuesday morning.
Another storm is in the forecast later this week and could bring an extra 4 to 5 inches of snow to Flagstaff.
How much snow should Colorado expect?
Different cities in Colorado will see different snow accumulations. Here is the weather service’s forecast, as of 1:37 p.m. on Tuesday:
- Fort Collins: 8-12 inches
- Greeley: 8-12 inches
- Estes Park: 6-8 inches
- Red Feather Lakes: 8-12 inches
- Boulder: 8-12 inches
- Denver: 8-12 inches
- Denver International Airport: 8-12 inches
- Fort Morgan: 8-12 inches
- Sterling: 8-12 inches
- Julesburg: 12-18 inches
- Holyoke: 12-18 inches
- Akron: 12-18 inches
- Wray: 8-12 inches
- Cheyenne, Wyoming: 6-8 inches
What if I need to travel?
A winter storm warning “indicates that heavy snow of at least 6 inches in 12 hours, or at least 8 inches in 24 hours, is expected,” according to the National Weather Service. But if you have travel plans in the area in the coming days, you should know that a warning “indicates that conditions pose a threat to life or property, and that travel will become difficult to impossible.”
- The National Weather Service in Denver said people should “Expect difficult overnight
travel, with treacherous conditions continuing through Wednesday.”
US national weather radar
Contributing: Lacey Latch, Arizona Republic
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