Winter Storm Blair A Major Snow And Ice Threat

A​ major winter storm will spread heavy snow and ice from the Plains to portions of the Midwest and mid-Atlantic this weekend into Monday. Dangerous travel conditions are likely and icing could be heavy enough to damage trees and knock out power.

T​his system has been named Winter Storm Blair by The Weather Channel.

(​MORE: 2024-25 Winter Storm Names)

L​atest Status On Blair

Winter Weather Alerts

A​ winter storm warning has been issued for much of Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, where heavy snow or a heavy mix of snow and ice is expected to begin by late Saturday. This area includes Kansas City and St. Louis. Travel in these regions will be dangerous and power outages are likely. A winter storm warning has also been issued across portions of Montana where gusty winds and blowing snow will lower visibilities.

A​n ice storm warning has been issued for southern Missouri. Significant icing is expected late Saturday into early Monday. Roads in this area will be impassable and power outages will occur.

(​MORE: Why Snowfall Forecast Sometimes Change)

T​iming

• S​aturday-Saturday Night: Snow will impact the northern and central Rockies. Snowfall and some ice will also emerge into the Plains and increase into the evening, with wintry weather extending as far east as the mid-Mississippi valley overnight.
• Kansas City, St. Louis, and W​ichita, Kansas, could all face increasingly hazardous travel conditions, especially later Saturday.

• Sunday-Sunday Night: Snow, potentially heavy at times, will stretch from Kansas to West Virginia during the day. Gusty winds will accompany the snow in some areas, leading to reduced visibility. A wintry mess of sleet, freezing and snow is expected just south of the area of heaviest snowfall, from northeast Oklahoma and southeast Kansas to parts of the mid-Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley and Appalachians.
• T​ravel should be avoided throughout the areas where snow and ice is expected. That includes Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville and St. Louis.
• Sunday night, the storm’s wintry weather will have spread as far east as the mid-Atlantic region, including Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., leading to increasingly hazardous travel.
• (15-min details: For even more granular weather data tracking in your area, view your 15-minute details forecast in our Premium Pro experience.)

• M​onday: Commuters will likely face wintry travel conditions to start the morning of the new workweek in the mid-Atlantic. Snow will also continue to impact parts of the Ohio Valley and the Appalachians.
• B​altimore, Charleston, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C. are some of the locations that could have wintry travel conditions that prompt delays or closures.
• Monday night, wintry weather should eventually taper off from west-to-east, but leftover snow and ice on the ground could affect travel in some areas Tuesday morning.
• (192-hours: Further beef up your forecast with our detailed, hour-by-hour breakdown for the next 8 days – only available on our Premium Pro experience.)

H​ow Much Snow And Ice To Expect

• At least 6 inches of snow is likely in the Central Plains and Midwest, especially in the darker purple shaded areas of the map below from northeast Kansas into parts of Missouri, central Illinois, southern Indiana and Ohio and possibly northern Kentucky. Some of those areas may exceed a foot of new snowfall where bands of snow persist.
• I​n the mid-Atlantic, at least light to moderate accumulating snowfall is possible. Portions of the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. metros may see up to 6 inches of snow. Lower amounts would occur if any sleet mixes in around the Washington, D.C. area. Farther north, Philadelphia could also see a few inches of accumulation.

• I​ce in the form of sleet and freezing rain could be most problematic from central and southern Kansas into the Ohio Valley and Appalachians.
• Travel impacts are likely and freezing rain accumulations could be damaging for some areas. Locations in darker pink and purple on the map below may see at least some tree damage and scattered power outages.
• Check back for updates on weather.com and The Weather Channel app.

Chris Dolce has been a senior meteorologist with weather.com for over 10 years after beginning his career with The Weather Channel in the early 2000s.