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Winter Storm Gerri has pivoted into the Midwest, where blizzard warnings are in effect for parts of seven states. But the snowy side is only half the story – just as we saw earlier this week, a severe weather threat is in place for parts of the South.
(MORE: There's Another Storm Moving In Behind Gerri, Too)
Here's the latest on everything this large storm system is bringing:
(9:55 a.m. ET) Weight Of Snow A Power Outage Threat
From weather.com senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman
Power outages are climbing in the winter storm, especially in the Chicagoland and Milwaukee metro areas.
The prime reason for that is because of how heavy and wet the snow is. Winds are blowing off Lake Michigan, which is both ice-free and at record-warm levels for the second week of January. That warms the air and leads to wet snow near the lake.
Add the force of winds gusting over 40 mph along the lakeshore to this heavy, wet snowfall and also to the snow that had accumulated on trees and power lines from two other rounds of snow earlier this week, and you have a prime recipe for outages.
Once winds shift to a more northwesterly direction later tonight, the snow should become “fluffier” and drier, but then winds will remain strong into Saturday. So, power outages may continue to be a problem into Saturday in these areas.
(9:30 a.m. ET) A Lull In The Storm May Not Happen
After an initial round of heavy snow, some forecast models suggested there may be a brief break in the snow later this morning in Chicago and Milwaukee.
But that window may be closing quickly, according to radar. And if instead of a break, it’s just a brief lull, that could only increase snowfall totals from Winter Storm Gerri in northern Illinois and Wisconsin.
“At this point, I would advise against unnecessary travel except by essential workers and for emergencies the rest of Friday into early Saturday in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin,” said Erdman.
(9:05 a.m. ET) Facing A Power Outage? Here's How To Get Ready
Power outages are mounting across the central U.S., and with a pair of winter storms and a cold blast ahead in the coming days, it's important to be as prepared as possible for power outages. Here are some important links to learn more:
-Winter Storms 101: How To Prepare For Snow, Ice
-As Arctic Blast Looms, Prepare Yourself For Power, Heat Outages
-Frozen Pipes? Here’s What To Do
-Pro Tip For Your Freezer In Case Of A Power Outage
-Hypothermia Indoors: How Cold Is Too Cold?
(8:40 a.m. ET) And Now We Have Winter Storm Heather
Winter Storm Heather was named by The Weather Channel this morning. Here's what weather.com senior meteorologist Chris Dolce wants you to know about this system:
Heather will bring snow and ice that will hamper travel in the Northwest beginning Saturday, including lower elevations like Portland, Oregon, before spreading snow across the interior West Saturday night and Sunday.
From there, Heather faces an uncertain future in the South and East. While there will be plenty of fresh arctic air available, the amount of moisture with the storm might be limited. Some snow and ice could affect parts of the South, but details haven’t come into focus yet.
It’s also possible the storm could produce a stripe of snow in the Northeast Tuesday and Wednesday, but there are questions about its track, and once again, how much moisture it will have to work with. It’s best to check back in the coming days since changes to its forecast are very likely.
Salt and shovels are displayed for sale at Ankeny Hardware on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, in Portland, Oregon.
(AP Photo/Jenny Kane)(8:25 a.m. ET) Cantore Forecast Interrupted By Thundersnow
The Weather Channel storm tracker Jim Cantore, reporting live from Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, was about to deliver a forecast when lightning struck in the downtown area.
"This typically goes along with a very dynamic storm like we have," Cantore said on-air.
Thundersnow is any snow event where thunder and lightning occur. See the clip here.
(8 a.m. ET) Amtrak Announces Changes To Some Train Schedules
Amtrak announced it would operate on a modified schedule today in several regions of the country due to Winter Storm Gerri.
For all the latest updates, head to their updates page.
(7:45 a.m. ET) Events Changed Ahead Of Iowa Caucuses
With the Iowa Caucuses just days away, Winter Storm Gerri is wreaking havoc on some planned events for the politicians.
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley announced she was canceling all in-person events and would instead do "telephone town halls."
More than half of the state was under a blizzard warning today.
(7:30 a.m. ET) Cantore: 'We Are Getting Absolutely Smoked'
Reporting live from Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Cantore stood amid intense wintry conditions this morning.
"It's an absolute whiteout," Cantore said, adding later that "we are getting absolutely smoked."
You can see more of the wintry scene in this video.
(7:15 a.m. ET) Ground Stop Reported At O'Hare Airport
O'Hare International Airport was getting hammered by heavy snow and strong winds, which reportedly prompted the Chicago airport to halt all flights. According to the flight-tracking website FlightAware, nearly 500 flights into and out of O'Hare have already been canceled today.
At Chicago Midway International Airport, more than 140 flights have been canceled today, or more than 30% of the daily scheduled flights.
(7 a.m. ET) Where You Don't Want To Be Driving Today
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Iowa State Patrol did not mince words when warning the public about today's weather dangers on state roads:
"In the interest of YOUR safety AND those working the roads, we STRONGLY advise everyone to refrain from ANY non-essential travel," the agency said.
And it's not just in Iowa. From Dolce:
Blizzard warnings are in effect for parts of seven states from South Dakota to northern Michigan, but those aren’t the only locations that will face dangerous travel conditions through tonight.
Snow and strong winds will also hamper travel in places under winter storm warnings, including the Chicago and Milwaukee metropolitan areas. Those locations just aren’t forecast to meet the blizzard warning criteria defined by the National Weather Service.
(6:45 a.m. ET) Flood Threat Déjà Vu For Northeast, Mid-Atlantic
From weather.com meteorologist Briana Waxman: "Some of the same areas that flooded earlier this week are at risk today with Winter Storm Gerri dropping heavy rains in the mid-Atlantic."
NOAA's Weather Prediction Center has issued a "slight" risk of flooding, or a level 2 out of 4, for a strip that starts in northern Virginia and extends all the way up through New York City and into Boston. In short, there is a concern that some of the rivers and streams that were flooded earlier this week could be quickly overwhelmed yet again in areas where heavy rainfall rates set up.
If you're in an area with a flood alert for today, take it seriously. Here are some ways to prepare.
(6:30 a.m. ET) 'Once Or Twice Per Decade'
With blizzard warnings in effect for parts of seven states across the Midwest, the National Weather Service office in Des Moines, Iowa, offered some context on the rarity of this powerful storm.
"Storms of this magnitude are fairly rare with recurrence around once or twice per decade," the office's meteorologists said in a blizzard warning issued yesterday afternoon.
So what exactly is a blizzard, and when does a snowstorm meet blizzard criteria? Glad you asked. Here's what has to happen.
(6:15 a.m. ET) Tornado Watch In Effect
We're starting the morning with a tornado watch for parts of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee until noon Eastern. Tornadoes, hail and strong winds could all cause damage in the shaded areas:
It's important to know these things if you're facing a severe weather threat:
-Tornado Watch Vs. Warning: What's The Difference?
-Severe Weather On The Way? Get Alerts Sent To Your Phone
-Falling Trees: An Underreported, Deadly Danger During Severe Weather
To read Thursday's live updates page, click here.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
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