Major Winter Storm Taking Shape

The brightly-colored areas are various winter weather warnings and watches. Orange is a blizzard warning, light green is a blizzard watch. There will be high winds and rapidly falling temperatures along with the snow in the blizzard areas. If you are planning on traveling by air Saturday through Minneapolis or through Chicago or Milwaukee late Saturday or Sunday morning start making alternative plans. I checked and several of the airlines have issued waivers (i.e., you can change advance purchase tickets without charge).

This has been a very difficult storm to forecast. In the words of a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's office in Chicago this afternoon:

THIS LOW HAS BEEN THE LOW THAT HAS CAUSED MANY A HEARTACHE TO METEOROLOGISTS ALL ACROSS THE MIDWEST AND STILL CONTINUES TO DO SO. 

FORECAST TRACKS FOR THE LOW CENTERS HAVE RANGED FROM KENTUCKY THROUGH NORTHERN CENTRAL WISCONSIN OVER THE COURSE (OR CURSE) OF THE LAST WEEK. EVEN 36 HOURS OUT...THE TRACK OF THE LOW STILL VARIES FROM MILWAUKEE TO CHICAGO. AS STATED MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST WEEK...SMALL CHANGES IN LOCATION CAN WREAK HAVOC ON THE FORECAST. 

Please take this storm seriously and check with AccuWeather for updates.