Christmas Day storm forecast to bring blizzard conditions to Plains and Midwest

A major winter storm is forecast to hit parts of the Northern and Central Plains regions and the Upper Midwest with blizzard conditions and freezing rain, posing dangerous travel conditions over the Christmas holiday.

South Dakota and Nebraska are expected to see heavy snow starting early Monday and increasing in intensity throughout the day. There’s a high chance south-central and central South Dakota will get at least a foot of snowfall, the National Weather Service said in a Sunday afternoon update. Most of the state, as well as Nebraska and Kansas, are likely to see more than 4 inches of snow.

The snow, combined with strong winds, will produce blizzard conditions in the region, the NWS said. In addition to snow-covered roads and whiteout conditions, winds with up to 55 mph gusts could bring down tree branches, and powerlines could snarl travelers.

Farther north, the same storm is expected to dump sleet and freezing rain starting Monday afternoon, according to forecasters. At least 0.1 inch of ice could spell slippery roads and sidewalks from southwest Minnesota to the eastern Dakotas. Isolated power outages are also possible in the region, the NWS said.

As of Sunday evening, over 1,000 flights in the U.S. scheduled for Monday were delayed, with about 250 cancellations, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.