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Winter Storm Warning Brings Up to 3 Feet Snow and 40‑Mph Winds Across Eight States

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Broad Eight-State Winter Storm Threatens Heavy Snow and Strong Winds The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings for eight states—New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Michigan, Maryland/Virginia, Colorado, Utah, and others—on Thursday, Jan 22, forecasting up to three feet of snow and sustained winds near 40 mph through Friday and possibly into early next week [1]. Officials labeled travel “extremely dangerous” and urged residents to stay off roads, stock emergency supplies, and secure property [1]. The warning covers a swath from the Great Lakes to the central U.S., indicating widespread disruption of commuting and freight movement [1].

Eastern Lake Ontario Faces Highest Snow Accumulations Forecasters expect the Lake Ontario basin to receive the storm’s maximum snowfall, with up to three feet of snow and 40 mph gusts by Friday night, keeping the winter storm watch active through Friday [1]. Buffalo‑area counties such as Erie and Genesee are projected for 4‑9 inches, while western Chippewa and northern Michigan counties could see 6‑7 inches by Friday night [1]. The combination of heavy wet snow and strong winds raises the risk of power outages and road closures in these localized hotspots [1].

Lake-Effect Snow Adds Warnings in Upper Midwest and Alaska Separate lake‑effect snow warnings cover northern Wisconsin, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and parts of Alaska, with accumulations ranging from 1‑6 inches in Gogebic and Ontonagon Counties to 5‑10 inches in Alaska, accompanied by wind gusts up to 40 mph [2]. Northern Wisconsin’s Bayfield and Douglas Counties may receive up to four additional inches, while Iron County could see 2‑6 inches, reducing visibility to less than a quarter mile [2]. The NWS stresses that blowing and drifting snow will make travel “very difficult” and advises residents to delay trips and prepare for possible power disruptions [2].

Consistent Advisories Emphasize Travel Avoidance and Emergency Preparedness Both sets of warnings uniformly urge the public to avoid nonessential travel, carry emergency kits, and monitor power service alerts [1][2]. The overlapping timelines—through Saturday for lake‑effect zones and into early next week for the broader eight‑state storm—create a prolonged period of hazardous conditions across the Midwest and Northeast [1][2]. Authorities in each affected region continue to update advisories as snowfall totals and wind speeds evolve. [1][2]

Sources

Timeline

1975 – The sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior becomes a benchmark for lake‑storm danger, prompting modern forecasting improvements that are referenced as the storm approaches the Great Lakes region [7].

Dec 28, 2025 – A rapidly intensifying winter cyclone tracks from the Upper Midwest toward the Great Lakes, threatening damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, 12‑24 inches of snow, and blizzard conditions with inland winds near 45 mph and lakeshore gusts up to 60 mph; forecasters warn that more than 94 million people are under wind alerts and that freezing rain could later coat the Ohio Valley [6].

Dec 29, 2025 – The powerful storm sweeps east from the Plains, delivering a mix of snow, ice, rain and strong winds, with the Upper Great Lakes forecast to receive over a foot of snow and Lake Superior expected to see 25‑foot waves, while travel disruptions and airport delays follow a weekend blizzard that caused hundreds of crashes and power outages [7].

Dec 29, 2025 – The Weather Prediction Center’s forecast map flags a multi‑hazard storm moving into Canada, projecting heavy lake‑effect snow across New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan through Wednesday, continued blizzard conditions in the Upper Midwest, gusts over 40 mph that could cause lakeshore flooding, and anticipated airport delays and power outages from the recent weekend blizzard [5].

Dec 30, 2025 – Lake‑effect snow warnings are issued for parts of New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio as cold air moves over unfrozen Great Lakes, forecasting 1‑2 feet downwind and localized bands exceeding 3 feet; an Arctic air surge is set to invade the eastern two‑thirds of the U.S. after the cyclone departs, and an Alberta clipper will reinforce snow later that day [4].

Jan 13, 2026 – The National Weather Service issues a winter storm warning for northern Indiana and Michigan, advising over half a million residents to delay travel as lake‑effect snow brings 6‑8 inches of accumulation, northwest winds gusting to 40 mph, near‑zero visibility, and safety guidance to carry flashlights, food and water in vehicles [3].

Jan 17, 2026 – Lake‑effect snow triggers winter storm warnings across northern Wisconsin, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Alaska, with up to 4 inches in Bayfield and Douglas Counties, 2‑6 inches in Iron County, 1‑6 inches in Gogebic and Ontonagon, and 5‑10 inches with 40 mph gusts in Alaska, prompting travel delays and power‑outage warnings [2].

Jan 22, 2026 – Winter storm warnings expand to eight states—including New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Michigan, Maryland/Virginia, Colorado/Utah—forecasting up to 3 feet of snow and 40 mph winds, with the eastern Lake Ontario region expecting the worst; officials label travel “extremely dangerous,” urging residents to avoid nonessential trips and to prepare homes and vehicles [1].

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