Winter Storm Warning for 13 States Across America

Winter storm warnings are in place for parts of 13 states as meteorologists predict a cold weather front from the southwest will move over the Central Plains and Great Lakes on Thursday, while the northwest continues to be impacted by Pacific storms. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued alerts for Alaska, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, warning of "bitterly cold" air, difficult travel conditions and whiteout conditions in places.

In its latest forecast, the agency said "frigid" temperatures were to be expected into Friday in both the north central and northwest, while flooding concerns remain along the northeast coastline. From Saturday, in the northwest, "a major winter storm with blizzard conditions is expected from eastern Nebraska to central Michigan with widespread 6 12 inch snowfall totals within this corridor of the Midwest, with potentially over a foot of snow across northern Lower Michigan." A storm that brought to western central states earlier in the week has been shifting northeastward towards the central Midwest and Great Lakes.

Lingering cold weather remains in west central Nevada, where up to eight inches of snow is expected and winds of up to 45 miles an hour. As much as two feet of snow is possible in the Wasatch Mountains of central Utah, with wind gusts of 60 miles an hour, while up to a foot of snow is possible in far southwest Wyoming.

Snow accumulations of up to 10 inches are also possible in the Sierra Madre and Snowy ranges of Wyoming. As the cold front moves into the upper Midwest, parts of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa could see up to 10 inches of snow and high winds possibly producing chills of minus 35 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Quad Cities region is expected to see snow accumulations of up to 10 inches as well, with ice of a tenth of an inch and winds of 50 miles an hour, impacting Friday's commutes. Freezing rain is also possible at times. Parts of southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin are expected to see up to 10 inches of snow, with high winds causing blowing snow and "pockets" of whiteout conditions.

Wind chills of minus 30 degrees are also predicted for the region. Northwestern states faced heavy precipitation from on Monday and Tuesday, bringing to the areas surrounding Seattle. While the worst of the winter weather has abated for the moment, heavy snow is set to continue across the Cascades of Washington and Oregon, where up to four feet of snow accumulations could form with wind gusts as high as 50 miles an hour.

Similar conditions are expected in southeast Washington and northeast Oregon, with 32 inches of snow and winds as high as 55 miles an hour in the Blue Mountains. Much of northern Idaho is under winter storm warnings, where up to 18 inches of snow could form in valleys and 30 inches on mountains. Western parts of Montana are also affected, with up to 20 inches of snow and wind chills of minus 60 degrees in places.

The NWS warned that travel could be "very difficult to impossible," with the danger of frostbite on exposed skin in as little as five minutes. Heavy snow and periods of blizzard conditions are expected in parts of western central Alaska, with blowing snow reducing visibility to a quarter of a mile or less.

Western states have already faced several bouts of snowfall so far this winter, having been subjected to a in December. Last winter, the West Coast experienced the effects of a , with California seeing several rounds of flooding. Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground..