A winter storm heading into the area later this week could cause blizzard-like conditions and affect holiday travel plans.
David Cousins, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in the Quad Cities, said snow is coming — but it’s not yet clear how much.
But other factors will make the storm dangerous, regardless of the amount of snowfall.
“The winds are really going to pick up and it’s going to get really cold. There’s a chance for wind gusts Thursday afternoon through most of the day Friday that could be 40 to 50 miles per hour,” Cousins said. “So any snow that falls will blow around.”
This could create storm-like conditions Thursday, through and Friday, and even into Saturday, which is Christmas Eve.
That, combined with single-digit temperatures and well-below-zero wind chills heading into vacation, can make for treacherous travel.
Cousins recommends staying up-to-date with the forecast over the next few days, traveling with a winter bag, and modifying or canceling holiday travel plans as needed.
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