CHICAGO – Sunday is the final day of post-Thanksgiving travel, and it could be stressful for those who are hitting the roads or catching flights in the Midwest and around the Great Lakes as a storm system sweeps through the region, bringing snow and gusty winds.
This comes after the Plains states were slammed with several inches of snow over the holiday weekend, resulting in the deaths of at least three people in central Nebraska.
According to Nebraska State Police (NSP), two people were killed in a crash on Interstate 80 near mile marker 184 on Friday afternoon. A few hours later, NSP said a man was killed in a separate crash on I-80 near mile marker 211.
On Saturday, Wichita, Kansas, broke its daily snowfall record after picking up nearly 8 inches. It was the second-snowiest November day in Wichita since recordkeeping began in 1888.
Topeka, Kansas, also saw its second-snowiest November day since 1887 after picking up 6.3 inches on Saturday.
In addition to snow, a mix of sleet and freezing rain was reported across the Texas Panhandle and into northwestern Oklahoma and southern Kansas.
Several crashes were reported as a result, and officials had warned drivers to take it slow on the roads and allow for plenty of time to get to final destinations.
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Snow was falling from Illinois, including Chicago, to Wisconsin and Michigan on Sunday morning, which covered roads and highways across the region, leading to slower drive times.
By Sunday afternoon, snow will begin to wind down across Illinois and Wisconsin but will pick up across southern Michigan.
While the snow may be coming down heavy at times on Sunday in Michigan, temperatures will be above freezing, which will limit snow accumulations.
Generally, the FOX Forecast Center expects an inch or two of snow, with higher amounts across northwestern Michigan.
There, northwesterly winds off Lake Michigan will pick up moisture from the lake, which could lead to lake-enhanced snow totals approaching up to 8 inches in some spots.
Winter weather alerts have been issued across the region, with Winter Weather Advisories stretching from northeastern Missouri and eastern Iowa through northern Illinois, including Chicago.
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Western portions of Lower Michigan are also included in the Winter Weather Advisory, but a Winter Storm Warning is in effect across parts of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Snow accumulations and low visibility will lead to slower drive times, and delays are expected at major airports across the region, including Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW). Delays are also expected at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) later Sunday.