As the last days of December 2025 unfold, a formidable winter storm is barreling across the northern United States, threatening to upend travel plans, disrupt daily routines, and test the mettle of millions from the Dakotas to northern New England. According to ABC News, as of Sunday morning, more than 40 million people were under various winter weather alerts, including blizzard warnings, winter storm warnings, and advisories for freezing rain and high winds. The storm's reach is vast, stretching from the windswept plains of the Dakotas, through the snow belts of the Midwest, and into the frosty hills of New England.
The heart of this tempest, as reported by the National Weather Service and highlighted by KNSI, began developing over the Northern Plains early Sunday, December 28. Snow had already started to blanket Sioux Falls and Fargo by sunrise, and the storm was only just getting started. As it intensified and moved eastward, it threatened to deliver heavy snow, gusty winds, and treacherous conditions to central Minnesota, much of Michigan, and further east into the Great Lakes region and beyond.
Blizzard warnings were issued for a wide corridor, including Grand Forks and Fargo in North Dakota, Rochester, Minnesota, and Mason City, Iowa. These areas braced for three to eight inches of snow and wind gusts up to 45 miles per hour. In central Minnesota, the warnings extended from Alexandria and Long Prairie south to Hutchinson, covering Stearns and Wright counties, the southwestern Twin Cities metro, Mankato, and Albert Lea. Here, the National Weather Service warned of four to seven inches of snow, with potentially even stronger northwest winds gusting up to 55 miles per hour, creating whiteout conditions that could last through Sunday night.
Eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin, including Benton, Morrison, and Sherburne counties, were not spared. Winter storm warnings there called for five to eight inches of snow and wind gusts up to 45 mph. Far western Minnesota, though likely to see only a couple of inches of snow, remained under a winter storm watch due to uncertainty about just how severe the blizzard conditions might become. Across the region, forecasters cautioned that widespread blowing snow would significantly reduce visibility, making travel not just difficult but downright hazardous. The Monday morning commute, in particular, was expected to be heavily impacted, and the National Weather Service urged people to restrict travel to emergencies only, advising, "Anyone who must travel should carry a winter survival kit and stay with their vehicle if stranded."
Michigan, meanwhile, found itself in the storm's crosshairs just as thousands of residents were still recovering from a previous ice storm that left about 50,000 without power on December 26. According to MLive and the National Weather Service, the new storm was forecast to sweep into Michigan late Sunday and persist through Tuesday, December 30. The Upper Peninsula and the snow belts of lower Michigan were expected to bear the brunt, with blizzard warnings and winter storm warnings stacking up. The National Weather Service in Grand Rapids described the incoming system as "an impactful storm system" set to deliver accumulating snow, strong winds, and blowing snow. Rain was likely to mix in for lower Michigan during the day Sunday before transitioning to all snow by Sunday night as colder air arrived.
By Monday, northern Michigan was expected to experience the storm's most intense conditions. The Gaylord office of the National Weather Service warned that the Sunday night to Monday night period would see significant snowfall overlap with very strong winds, leading to blowing and drifting snow as temperatures plummeted. The Marquette office added, "The worst conditions are expected Sunday into Monday morning, when the combination of heavy snow and high winds could make travel very difficult to impossible." Forecasts called for more than a foot of snow in the snowbelt areas, with up to 17 inches possible in Munising, 16 inches in Ironwood, and 15 inches in Marquette. Even cities further south, like Detroit and Lansing, were expected to see measurable snow, though totals would be lower.
On Sunday morning, the National Weather Service issued an updated winter storm warning for Montmorency, Alpena, and Crawford counties in northern Michigan, effective from 1 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday. The warning called for total snow accumulations between four and eight inches, with winds gusting as high as 45 mph. Visibility could drop below a quarter mile due to falling and blowing snow, and hazardous conditions were expected to impact both the Monday morning and evening commutes. Gusty winds could also bring down tree branches, heightening the risk of power outages. The weather service advised, "If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Slow down and use caution while traveling. Prepare for possible power outages."
The Northeast was also bracing for impact. Winter weather advisories stretched from Scranton, Pennsylvania, up to Burlington, Vermont, and Portland, Maine, with freezing rain expected from Sunday through Monday. Parts of the I-95 corridor from Philadelphia to Boston could see a brief wintry mix or freezing rain by Sunday evening, before warmer air turned precipitation to rain. In higher elevations of northern New England and most of Maine, wintry precipitation was likely to persist, with up to a quarter inch of ice possible on Monday. Flood watches were issued for Buffalo and Jamestown, New York, where up to 1.5 inches of rainfall could lead to localized flooding.
By Monday night, the main storm system was expected to clear the region, but the aftermath would linger. According to ABC News, lake-effect snow was set to follow in the eastern Great Lakes and interior Northeast, continuing into Tuesday and possibly Wednesday. The heaviest snow totals were forecast for the Midwest, with Minneapolis and Green Bay potentially seeing five to eight inches of snow and a light glaze of ice. Marquette and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan could see wind gusts up to 60 mph, creating blowing snow even after the main event had ended.
With such a powerful storm on the move, the National Weather Service and local authorities emphasized the importance of preparation and caution. Winter driving, always fraught with danger, becomes even more perilous in these conditions. The weather service offered a suite of safety tips: share your travel plans with family or friends, equip your vehicle with essentials like a windshield scraper, jumper cables, a shovel, flashlight, blanket, and extra warm clothing. If stranded, stay with your vehicle, make yourself visible, and avoid trying to walk to safety in a blizzard. Above all, check road conditions before venturing out and, if possible, delay travel until the storm passes.
As the storm continues its trek across the northern states, communities from the Dakotas to New England are hunkering down, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. For many, the next few days will mean staying indoors, keeping an eye on the weather, and waiting for the snowplows to clear the way once again.
