The Blizzard Warning for Red River Valley signals a high-impact event with rapidly deteriorating conditions once heavy snow and strongest winds overlap. Forecasters expect snow totals of roughly 3 to 8 inches in this corridor, but the combination of powdery snow and gusts to 45 mph will make travel hazardous to impossible at times.
A sprawling winter storm system centered over the Dakotas is driving dangerous conditions from North Dakota and Minnesota through Wisconsin and Michigan and into northern New England. More than 40 million people are under Blizzard Warnings, Winter Storm Warnings, Winter Weather Advisories, Flood Watches or High Wind Warnings as the storm tracks east.
- The Blizzard Warning for Red River Valley covers areas from Grand Forks and Fargo, North Dakota, down toward Rochester, Minnesota, and Mason City, Iowa, with whiteout conditions expected through Monday morning.
- Farther east, parts of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula face some of the most extreme conditions, with projections of 9 inches to 2 feet of snow and wind gusts up to 60 mph.
Blizzard Warning for Red River Valley: impacts and timing
The Blizzard Warning for Red River Valley signals a high-impact event with rapidly deteriorating conditions once heavy snow and strongest winds overlap. Forecasters expect snow totals of roughly 3 to 8 inches in this corridor, but the combination of powdery snow and gusts to 45 mph will make travel hazardous to impossible at times.
- Road visibility along key routes, including stretches of regional interstates, is expected to drop to near zero in open country as blowing and drifting snow develops.
- The Blizzard Warning for Red River Valley is in effect through Monday morning, with the worst conditions from Sunday afternoon through the overnight hours as bands of heavier snow pivot across eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota.
Residents under the Blizzard Warning for Red River Valley are being urged to avoid nonessential travel, prepare for possible power interruptions and ensure emergency kits are ready in homes and vehicles.
Midwest and Great Lakes: snow, wind and ice
South and east of the Blizzard Warning for Red River Valley, a broader shield of heavy snow and strong wind will sweep through the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes. From eastern Minnesota to northern Michigan, including Minneapolis, Green Bay and Sault Ste. Marie, Winter Storm Warnings are in place for periods of heavy snow and blowing snow through Monday.
- Minneapolis and Green Bay are forecast to pick up about 5 to 8 inches of snow, with a light glaze of ice in some locations as warmer air noses in aloft.
- Marquette and much of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula could see 1 to 2 feet of snow, with winds up to 60 mph causing deep drifts and prolonging dangerous travel even after the heaviest snow ends.
Farther south into lower Michigan, the system will favor heavy rain and strong winds over snow, with high wind alerts posted for cities including Detroit and Cleveland where gusts could reach 60 mph into early Tuesday.
Northeast: freezing rain, flooding rain and travel woes
As the core of the storm moves east, colder air over interior valleys and higher elevations will set the stage for dangerous ice in parts of the Northeast. Winter Weather Advisories stretch from around Scranton, Pennsylvania, to Burlington, Vermont, and Portland, Maine, largely for freezing rain and a wintry mix.
- Along the eastern Great Lakes and in parts of upstate New York, a Flood Watch includes Buffalo and Jamestown, where up to 1.5 inches of rain may fall on Sunday into Monday, raising concerns about localized flooding and ponding on roads.
- Portions of the I‑95 corridor from Philadelphia to Boston could see a brief period of wintry mix or freezing rain before a changeover to rain as warmer air surges north Sunday evening.
By Monday night, the main storm is expected to move away, but lake-effect snow bands are forecast to set up downwind of the Great Lakes and linger into Tuesday or even Wednesday, keeping snow showers and slick roads in the forecast for parts of the interior Northeast.
Safety guidance and what to expect next because of Warning for Red River Valley
Forecasters emphasize that in the Blizzard Warning for Red River Valley, the combination of snow and wind will be more dangerous than the absolute snow totals alone. Even well-equipped vehicles can become stranded quickly in whiteout conditions, especially in rural areas where blowing snow can obscure road markings and drifts can block smaller roads.
- Travelers are being urged to monitor airline and highway advisories closely, build extra time into any necessary trips, and carry winter survival gear in vehicles, including blankets, water, and chargers.
- Power outages are possible where the Blizzard Warning for Red River Valley overlaps with the strongest wind gusts, and where heavy, wet snow and ice accumulate on trees and power lines in the Northeast.
Across the region, residents from the Red River Valley to the Northeast corridor should stay tuned to local National Weather Service updates as storm tracks and precipitation types continue to shift. The Blizzard Warning for Red River Valley remains the clearest signal of life-threatening winter conditions as this dynamic storm system marches east.