Winter Storm In Upper Midwest Could Bring Blizzard Conditions, Record Snow to Parts of Wisconsin, Michigan

Straight out of the March textbook, a major storm will hammer in the Midwest this weekend, followed by a blast of cold air into the Southeast.

A major winter storm (named Iona) this weekend could bring blizzard conditions, record snow, high winds, and dangerous travel conditions to parts of the upper Midwest and Great Lakes, then will deliver a blast of wind and cold air to much of the East and South.

Wind gusts up to 123 mph were clocked in the northern Rockies - in the Tetons just north of Jackson, Wyoming - Thursday, along with six other gusts of over 100 mph in Montana and Wyoming. Cheyenne, Wyoming, had a peak gust to 92 mph, their strongest on record since the mid-1990s, according to the National Weather Service.

There were about three dozen reports of wind damage received by the NWS from Washington state to Colorado and Nebraska, Thursday.

High wind warnings continue Friday in parts of the Rockies, Midwest, Great Lakes, and Appalachians, where gusts of 55 mph or higher could lead to some tree damage and power outages.

The weekend blizzard will pull down a fresh supply of cold air from Canada beginning this weekend that will have staying power into St. Patrick's week.

Sunday, that cold will nosedive southward into the Plains. Monday, that cold air will reach the northern Gulf Coast. Tuesday, that cold air will have swept through the East, including Florida.

Monday, highs will be stuck in the teens, 20s and 30s in much of the Midwest. St. Patrick's Day will be stuck in the 20s and 30s in most of the Northeast and Midwest, while the Southeast shivers in the 40s and 50s.

Some subzero lows are possible in parts of North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula Monday and Tuesday. Much of the Deep South, including parts of far northern Florida, is forecast to dip below the freezing mark Tuesday and Wednesday morning.

We recognize the severe impact that current conditions are having on our customers, and we are committed to restoring service levels as quickly as possible. As a result of these weather issues, the ALG Client Service Team will send daily updates as we monitor the progress and track job level.