As the holiday season drew to a close in 2025, a powerful winter storm swept across the United States, leaving a trail of snow, ice, and plunging temperatures in its wake. On Sunday, December 28, heavy snow blanketed Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis, a scene emblematic of the broader chaos unfolding across the Upper Midwest and beyond. According to the Associated Press, this potent storm threatened blizzard-like conditions, treacherous travel, and widespread power outages, creating a sense of urgency for millions of Americans preparing for the new year.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that the snow and strengthening winds would continue to spread across the northern Plains and Upper Midwest, making travel nearly impossible in some areas. Forecasters predicted snowfall totals exceeding a foot—30 centimeters—across parts of the upper Great Lakes, with as much as two feet expected along the south shore of Lake Superior, as reported by both the Star Tribune and Detroit News. "Part of the storm system is getting heavy snow, other parts of the storm along the cold front are getting higher winds and much colder temperatures as the front passes," explained Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster at the NWS office in College Park, Maryland. "They’re all related to each other—different parts of the country will be receiving different effects from this storm."
In addition to the heavy snowfall, the storm system brought with it dangerous wind chills. The NWS forecast temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 34.4 degrees Celsius) in North Dakota and Minnesota from Sunday night into Monday. These extreme conditions raised the risk of frostbite and hypothermia, prompting officials to urge residents to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.
The impact of the storm was not limited to the land. In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, forecasters warned that waves on Lake Superior could reach a staggering 34 feet by dawn on Monday, December 29. Ben Warren, a forecaster at the NWS office in Marquette, Michigan, explained to the Detroit News that marine forecasts are crucial for the U.S. Coast Guard and the many commercial and recreational vessels navigating the Great Lakes year-round. The threat of such massive waves, coupled with severe freezing spray, was expected to coat vessels and shoreline infrastructure in thick ice—a dangerous situation reminiscent of past maritime disasters. Warren referenced the infamous Edmund Fitzgerald storm of 1975, when 29 people lost their lives as the iron ore freighter was swallowed by Lake Superior. "Since the infamous Edmund Fitzgerald storm in ’75, we’ve had zero major incidents on the lake," Warren noted, highlighting improvements in weather forecasting since that tragedy.
The rest of the Great Lakes system was bracing for similarly violent conditions. Lake Michigan was forecast to produce 30-foot waves, Lake Huron 28-foot waves, Lake Erie 24-foot waves, and Lake Ontario waves topping 20 feet. The combination of arctic air rushing over warmer water and the intense cyclone driving the storm created the perfect recipe for severe freezing spray and hazardous marine conditions.
Meanwhile, the South was experiencing a dramatic meteorological reversal. Just days before the cold front’s arrival, cities like Atlanta were basking in record warmth. The high temperature in Atlanta reached 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22 Celsius) on December 28, continuing a trend after climbing to a record 78 F (26 C) on Christmas Eve. Numerous other record highs were reported across the South and Midwest in the days following Christmas, according to the NWS. Meteorologists warned, however, that this springlike spell would be short-lived. A sharp cold front—sometimes referred to as a “Blue Norther”—was expected to sweep through the region late Sunday into Monday, bringing severe thunderstorms, a sudden temperature drop, and strong north winds.
"We’re definitely going back towards a more winter pattern," Oravec told the Associated Press. The forecast called for rain across much of the South late Sunday night into Monday, with temperatures in Atlanta expected to plummet to 25 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 3.9 Celsius) by early Tuesday morning, December 31. Dallas, which saw Sunday temperatures in the lower 80s (upper 20s Celsius), faced a drop to the mid-40s (single digits Celsius). Little Rock, too, was set to see highs fall from around 70 F (21 C) to the mid-30s on Monday. The colder weather was expected to persist through New Year’s Day, ushering in 2026 with a wintry chill.
The storm’s intensity was fueled by a dramatic clash between frigid air plunging south from Canada and the unusually warm air lingering across the southern United States. This sharp contrast not only intensified the storm as it moved east but also set off a chain reaction of weather events across the country. The NWS predicted that over the next 48 hours, the cyclone would produce heavy snow and blizzard conditions in the Midwest and Great Lakes, freezing rain in New England, thunderstorms across the eastern U.S. and South, and widespread strong winds. The ripple effects were already being felt by travelers: thousands of flight delays and cancellations occurred earlier that weekend in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions, as families and individuals attempted to make their way home during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
While the Midwest and South grappled with the storm’s immediate impacts, California was experiencing a relative respite. The Detroit News reported that, after a series of powerful storms brought heavy rains, flash flooding, and mudslides to the state, the weekend was fairly dry. Nonetheless, the earlier storms had left a tragic mark—at least four people were killed, including a man found dead in a partially submerged car near Lancaster on December 27, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
As the nation confronted this latest episode of extreme weather, the improvements in forecasting and communication since the days of the Edmund Fitzgerald disaster were on full display. Authorities and meteorologists used every tool at their disposal to warn the public, coordinate emergency responses, and minimize the potential for loss of life and property. Yet, the storm’s sheer scale and intensity served as a stark reminder of the power of nature—and the need for vigilance, especially as climate patterns shift and weather extremes become more common.
For millions of Americans, the closing days of 2025 were marked not by quiet reflection, but by the howling winds and swirling snow of a winter storm that tested both infrastructure and resolve. As the storm continued its march eastward, drawing strength from the collision of arctic and subtropical air, communities across the country braced for what the next chapter of winter would bring.