The FOX Forecast Center is tracking a triple threat of severe storms, heavy snow and dangerous winds as a storm system moves across the central and eastern U.S. this week.
A cluster of individual thunderstorms will organize into a powerful line of storms overnight Wednesday into Thursday. Isolated severe thunderstorms are possible across the Gulf Coast, including parts of Alabama, north Florida and Georgia, and in the Midwest, including Indiana and Ohio.
For those on the north side of the storm, the forecast features a mix of snow, ice, heavy rain and very strong winds as the strengthening area of low pressure tracks through the region.
Snow will intensify Thursday morning across Iowa and Wisconsin where snow rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour will be possible.
The wintry weather is expected to bring impacts to morning commutes in cities such as Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Madison, Wisconsin.
The FOX Forecast Center said the snow will end across Iowa during Thursday afternoon, while continuing across Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Travel delays will be possible across interstates in Wisconsin, especially Interstate 94.
By the time the storm passes, 3 to 8 inches of snow will fall from central Iowa to central Wisconsin, with lesser amounts across western Iowa, southwest Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Minneapolis and Milwaukee will see measurable, but not significant amounts of snow from this event.
To the east across the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan, a period of freezing rain may lead to a few hours of very hazardous travel Thursday morning before temperatures warm above freezing.
South and east of the wintry weather, rain, which will be heavy at times, will fall Wednesday night through early Thursday. As much as 1 to 2 inches of rain is expected across Illinois with lesser amounts to the east.
Coming in with the rain Thursday will be strong to damaging 40 to 60 mph wind gusts, especially around northern Indiana and northwestern Ohio into southern Michigan, the FOX Forecast Center warns. High Wind Watches are in effect for much of that region.
These winds could be strong enough to down branches, trees and power lines. Scattered power outages are likely.
Meanwhile, the low pressure will bring a warm front into New England. While much of this precipitation will be rain, there will be a window for a few hours of snow and/or freezing rain across the Catskills, Adirondacks, and northern New England mountains.