Midwest, Great Lakes Could Be In for Blizzard Conditions

A powerful winter storm was sweeping east from the Plains on Sunday, driven by what meteorologists describe as an intense cyclone, setting off a chain reaction of snow, ice, rain, and severe weather expected to affect much of the country. Snow and strengthening winds spread across the Upper Midwest on Sunday, where the National Weather Service warned of whiteout conditions and possible blizzard conditions that could make travel impossible in some areas. Snowfall totals were expected to exceed a foot across parts of the upper Great Lakes, the AP reports, with up to 2 feet possible along the south shore of Lake Superior.

In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, forecasters are warning that waves will likely top 25 feet on Lake Superior by dawn Monday, with significant waves also forecast for the other Great Lakes. In the South, meteorologists warn of severe thunderstorms expected to signal the arrival of a sharp cold front bringing a sudden temperature drop and strong north winds that will end days of record warmth across the region. Springlike warmth continues in much of the nation's midsection and South. The high temperature in Atlanta is forecast to be around 72 degrees on Sunday. But a cold front is expected to bring rain to much of the South late Sunday night into Monday, bringing much colder weather on Tuesday. The abrupt change will drop the low temperature in Atlanta to 25 by Tuesday morning.

Over the next 48 hours, the cyclone is expected to produce heavy snow and blizzard conditions in the Midwest and Great Lakes, freezing rain in New England, thunderstorms across the eastern US and South, and widespread strong winds. The storm is expected to intensify as it moves east, drawing energy from a sharp clash between frigid air plunging south from Canada and unusually warm air that has lingered across the southern US, according to the Weather Service. On the other side of the country, California was experiencing a fairly dry weekend after powerful storms battered the state with heavy rains, flash flooding and mudslides.