Travel & RV Weather Forecast Thursday 22 December

** Heads Up ** High impact winter storm and associated arctic front is making for dangerous conditions for RV (and most other land) travel from the Pacific Northwest to the Southern Plains, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast through Friday night. Be prepared for wind chills of zero, -25 and -50 deg F, on I-20, I-40 or I-80, respectively. Expect blizzard conditions over the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest. Northwest Oregon and southwest Washington, including the greater Portland metro area, can expect a significant ice storm this afternoon and Friday.

Major winter storm, Arctic Front, snow, high winds and bitter cold creates dangerous travel conditions from the Pacific Northwest, through the Rockies, the Plains north of I-40, the Mid-west, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast through Friday night.
Ice storm in western and northwest Oregon and southwest Washington this afternoon and Friday.
Wind Chill Warnings and Advisories cover much of the Country.

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All time zones:

— Wind Chill Advisories and Warnings cover most of the Country bounded on the west from western Washington State, Idaho and Colorado to Texas and to the east coast as far south as northern Florida. Extreme wind chill values will encompass this entire area by Friday morning.

Pacific:

— Western and southern WA; most of OR except central and southwest portions of the state: ICE STORM (Central OR coastal range and South Willamette Valley) and Winter Storm Warnings (Cascades, northwest OR) Watches and Advisories this afternoon through Friday evening. Up to 1/2 inch ice in the western regions, up to 3 inches of snow, except 4-10 inches in the Cascades. Wind gusts 35-50 mph. Major highways impacted include I-5, I-82, I-84, I-90, US-395.

— OR and WA greater Portland and Vancouver areas, respectively; Columbia Gorge: Wind Advisory through Friday morning. Gusts to 55 mph. I-5, I-84 impacted.

— Central CA southern Sacramento Valley and northern San Joaquin Valley: Dense Fog Advisories through midday today. I-5, CA-99 impacted.

Mountain:

— Northwest MT east of Rocky Mountain Front: High Wind Watch Saturday afternoon through late Sunday night. Gusts to 60 mph. I-15 impacted.

— Central UT: High Wind Warnings this morning. Gusts 75-80 mph. I-15, I-70 impacted.

— North-central and central CO: Winter Storm Warnings and Advisories through midday today. 3-8 inches additional snow accumulation and wind gusts to 65 mph. I-70 impacted.

— North-central and central NM: High Wind Warnings and Advisories today. Gusts to 60 mph. Warning area is to the west of I-25.

Central:

— Southern ND and adjacent southeast MT; northern, central and south-central SD; southern MN; northern and central IA: BLIZZARD Warnings through early Saturday morning. Although additional snow accumulations will be modest (1-3 inches), winds will gust 50-60 mph and wind chill values will be -45 to -55 deg F, creating near zero visibility in blowing snow, extreme cold, and life-threatening travel conditions. I-29, I-35, I-80, I-90, I-94 highly impacted.

— East-central and northeast MN; WI; southern IA; most of MO and IL; eastern KS: Winter Storm Warnings through early Saturday morning. Snow accumulations of 2-5 inches, wind gusts to 50 mph and wind chill values of -30 to -40 deg F will create dangerous travel conditions. Major highways impacted include I-35, I-39, I-43, I-44, I-55, I-57, I-64, I-70, I-72, I-74, I-80, I-88, I-90, I-94.

— Most of MN and WI; most of IA and IL; east-central and southeast NE; northeast KS; most of MO: Blizzard (southeast MN) and Winter Storm Warnings, Watches and Advisories today through Saturday morning. In general, 2-6 inches of snow combine with wind gusts to 45 mph and bitterly cold temperatures, creating dangerous travel conditions. Major highways impacted include I-29, I-35, I-39, I-43, I-44, I-55, I-57, I-64, I-70, I-72, I-74, I-80, I-88, I-90, I-94.

Eastern:

— MI northern Lower Peninsula and along the shorelines of Lakes Michigan and Superior: BLIZZARD Warnings this evening through Saturday evening. 1-2 feet of snow and wind gusts to 50 mph. I-75 impacted.

— Remainder of MI; most of IN; western, central and northern OH; northwest PA; far-western NY: Winter Storm Warnings this evening through Saturday morning. Typical snow accumulations will be 5-7 inches with wind gusts to 50 mph. Major highways impacted include I-65, I-69, I-70, I-71, I-74, I-75, I-76, I-77, I-79, I-80, I-90, I-94, I-96, I-196, Ohio Turnpike, Indiana Toll Road.

— Most of WV; western and north-central PA and adjacent east-central OH: High Wind Watches and Advisories for late Friday night through Saturday morning. Gusts 45-60 mph. I-64, I-70, I-75, I-76, I-77, I-79, I-80, I-99, PA Turnpike impacted.

— Central and south-central PA; western MD; eastern WV; western and southwest VA; far-western NC and adjacent eastern TN: Winter Storm Warnings (northeast WV; far-west MD) and Advisories through this afternoon . Snow, sleet and freezing rain will accumulate 1-3 inches except 4-7 inches in the Winter Storm Warning areas. Greater amounts of ice above 2000 feet. I-26, I-40, I-64, I-66, I-68, I-70, I-76, I-77, I-80, I-81, I-99, PA Turnpike impacted.

— Western NY downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario: Winter Storm Warnings for Lake Effect snows Friday evening through early Monday morning. Accumulations will be 1-3 feet and wind gusts to 60 mph. I-81, I-90 / NY Thruway highly impacted.

— Central and eastern NY; all of New England: A combination of High Wind Watches, Wind Advisories and Flood Watches tonight through Saturday. Wind gusts 55-65 mph. Flash flooding possible from a combination of heavy rains and significant snowmelt. I-84, I-87, I-88, I-89, I-90, I-91, I-93, I-95 impacted.

— Northeast PA and northwest NJ: Flood Watches this evening through Friday evening for excessive rainfall. I-78, I-80, I-84, I-287, I-476 potentially impacted.

— Eastern NC and northeast SC; central and southern FL Peninsula: Chance of strong or marginally severe thunderstorms today. I-4, I-40, I-75, I-95 potentially impacted.

Access to real-time road information:

Phone numbers and websites for road conditions in all 50 states. Courtesy of the Cheyenne WY Weather Forecast Office

Severe Weather and Tropical Watches and Warnings

— See https://rvweather.com/warnings-watches-and-advisories/#SPC_Tornado_Watch for the latest Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm WATCHES

— See https://rvweather.com/warnings-watches-and-advisories/#NHC_Hurricane_Advisory for the latest Tropical Cyclone WARNINGS and information.

— See https://rvweather.com/warnings-watches-and-advisories/#NWS_Tornado_Warning for the latest Tornado, Severe Thunderstorm, and Flash Flood WARNINGS.

National Weather Service Watches Warnings and Advisories
Click on map for real-time information
Wind Chill values Thursday evening 22 December
Wind gusts Thursday afternoon 22 December
Severe Weather Risk Friday 22 December
Likelihood of winter weather impacting RV travel Thursday or Thursday night 22 December
Wind Chill Values Friday afternoon 23 December
Wind gusts Friday afternoon 23 December
Flash flood risk Friday and Friday night 23 December
Likelihood of winter weather impacting RV travel Friday or Friday night 23 December
Wind Chill Vaues Saturday afternoon 24 December
Likelhood of winter weather impacting RV travel Saturday or Saturday night 24 December
Total snowfall accumulations through Saturday night 24 December
Total ice (freezing rain) accumulations through Saturday night 24 December
Total precipitation amounts through Saturday night 24 December