Messy climate threatens post-holiday journey. See snow forecast.

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A “bomb cyclone” is ushering a interval of chilly and snow for some elements of the United States for the tip of the yr.

Blizzard circumstances, a “bomb cyclone” and a rush of freezing arctic air threaten to snarl post-holiday journey and create doubtlessly harmful circumstances throughout the nation via the start of the week, notably within the Midwest and Northeast.  

Heavy snow and robust winds are anticipated to trigger whiteout circumstances with near-zero visibility within the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes area Sunday via Monday. Some elements of the area might see as a lot as two ft of snow, leaving potential for energy outages. 

Meanwhile, freezing rain threatens to create icy roadways in New England on Sunday. And robust thunderstorms within the South will usher in a brand new spherical of chilly temperatures to begin the New Year. Forecasters anticipate areas within the West which have seen a deluge of rain in latest days to see drier, calmer climate within the coming days.

More: What is a bomb cyclone? Winter hurricane defined.

Here’s extra of what’s in retailer to your area. 

The Midwest 

A blizzard warning is in impact throughout the higher Midwest, for elements of Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. Forecasters anticipate a storm of snow, ice and freezing rain to accentuate right into a “bomb cyclone” between Sunday and Monday, with snow turning into heavier by Sunday night. 

The time period “bomb cyclone” refers back to the fast strengthening of a storm. It happens when a climate system with chilly, dry air meets a mass of heat, moist air, prompting the intensification, in line with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

Snowfall throughout the Midwest will vary from 6 inches in some areas to as much as 2 ft alongside the shores of the Great Lakes. Heavy snowfall mixed with forceful gusts of wind as much as 60 mph will create harmful circumstances for vacationers.  

“Such strong winds can also lead to power outages, downed tree limbs and airborne holiday decorations,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger mentioned. 

By mid-day Sunday, roughly a fourth of all flights out of Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport have been delayed, according to Flight Aware. Close to 4,000 flights into and out of the United States have been delayed.

USA TODAY’s detailed winter climate forecast map under enables you to discover the place snow is predicted over the following few hours and days. 

The Southern, Central United States

A stretch of record-high temperatures throughout the Central and Southern United States will finish abruptly as a wave of arctic chill rushes in Sunday afternoon and night, making a spherical of highly effective thunderstorms.  

The storms will transfer east from Arkansas towards the Midwest, the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys and coastal southern states by Monday. Temperatures might plunge into the 20s and youths, in line with AccuWeather’s forecast. The fast drop in temperatures might trigger roads to shortly ice over.  

The West

The atmospheric river that deluged elements of Southern California with rain over the previous few days will taper off Sunday. A drier, quieter interval of climate is predicted for a lot of the West via the starting of the week.  

The rainfall triggered evacuations over the Christmas vacation, mudslides and energy outages. Several deaths resulted from storm.   

Snow within the central Rockies and Pacific Northwest is forecast to taper off, thoughsoutheastern New Mexico might see some accumulation Monday.  

Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY