Where To Watch For Rounds Of Snow And Ice

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T​he first snow of the season has swept across portions of the Midwest, Great Lakes and into the Northeast to end the week as a November reality check pattern change sweeps cold air as far south as Texas and Florida.

Snow setup: A potent low-pressure system has developed over the Great Lakes region. This storm could sit and spin through Friday or Saturday, with strong winds, raw, cold air, rain and wet snow.

Y​ou can see where that storm is producing snowfall and rain right now in the radar snapshot below. Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee and Indianapolis are some of the cities that have seen their first snows of the season on Thursday. Some parts of southeast Wisconsin had up to 6 inches of snow before it ended and began to melt Thursday.

T​he National Weather Service has issued various winter weather alerts for snow from the Ohio Valley to the Appalachians and interior Northeast.

I​n general, any snow that falls in the Midwest will do so through Thursday night. Any that falls in the East will do so into Friday night or Saturday.

(For even more granular weather data tracking in your area, view your 15-minute details forecast in our Premium Pro experience.)

How much snow: We don't expect widespread heavy accumulations. However, the higher elevations of the Appalachians from West Virginia into southwest Pennsylvania, as well as the Poconos, Catskills and Adirondacks could pick up 6 inches or more of heavy, wet snow.

T​he weight of this snow plus strong winds could lead to some tree damage and power outages in those areas.

O​therwise, some slushy amounts of a few inches are possible in the Ohio Valley and lower elevations of the interior Northeast. Most of these accumulations will be on grassy areas and vehicle tops, unless the snow comes in a quick burst or shower, which could coat bridges and untreated roads for a time.

(​MORE: When The First Snow Typically Arrives)

C​older, finally: It hasn't felt like winter is around the corner in the South recently. Instead, the region saw its warmest first two weeks of any November on record for dozens of cities from Texas to Florida to the southern Appalachians, according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

A​nd that's where this reality check will be felt most.

T​his colder air should hang in over the Southeast through the weekend.

W​e have some sample forecast low temperatures in the map below. Lows in the 30s and 40s will be common in the Southeast, including northern Florida. The Florida Peninsula may have some chilly mornings in the 40s and 50s. Meanwhile, highs in the 40s and a few 30s will be the rule in the Midwest and interior Northeast through the end of the week.

(​MAPS: 10-Day US Forecast Highs and Lows)

W​hy this pattern change: The short answer is the wind flow in the atmosphere is becoming temporarily clogged.

A​ bubble of high pressure aloft known as the Greenland block is acting as a temporary roadblock, forcing a deep low-pressure system to become stuck in place over the East.

T​hat's the reason this storm system and the cold air may last several days in the East.

Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on X (formerly Twitter), Threads, Facebook and Bluesky.