Snowfall forecast for Christmas latest: Millions brace for travel delays

As millions of Americans prepare to travel home for the holidays this weekend, forecasters warn that heavy snow and strong winds could cause significant delays. At least 17 states received a blanket of snow in the past 24 hours, with some areas in Montana getting 18 inches of snowfall. In the Northeast, they can expect cold air and gusty winds through Friday as a storm exits the area this evening. Powerful winds will continue to tear through the northern Rockies and High Plains, including Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, and Iowa, with localized peaks of up to 90 mph. While the Great Lakes should brace for lake-effect snow, which could disrupt roads and flights, particularly near cities like Buffalo and Cleveland. Conditions are expected to improve slightly by Sunday. The National Weather Service (NWS) has placed nine states under winter weather advisories as they expect even more snow, with up to five inches forecast. A winter weather advisory is issued for when “freezing rain, or when two to four inches of snow (alone or in combination with sleet and freezing rain), is expected to cause a significant inconvenience.” This is bad news for the record-breaking 119 million people will travel at least 50 miles during the latter half of December, according to figures from the American Automobile Association (AAA). While road travel may see slight reductions, an increase in air travel is expected to offset the difference.

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Map shows how much snow fell in US states

The National Weather Service said at least 17 states across the Northern United States experienced some level of snowfall in the last day.

Newsweek has mapped snowfall across the U.S. in the last 24 hours, according to data from the NWS.

Early Friday morning, several states received winter weather advisories from the NWS, and winter storm warnings had been issued for parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The NWS says that winter storm warnings are issued “when a significant combination of hazardous winter weather is occurring or imminent.”

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