Winter Storm Kayla Spreads Blizzard Conditions Through the Plains, Upper Midwest (FORECAST)

Blizzard or near-blizzard conditions will continue to spread through the Upper Midwest into early Wednesday as Winter Storm Kayla advances northeast through those regions.

Blizzard warnings continue in portions of the Plains and Upper Midwest into early Wednesday, due to a dangerous combination of snow and wind will lead to whiteout conditions at times.

Winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories continue in parts of the Upper Midwest as well. Snow will also be accompanied by gusty winds here.

(MORE: Kayla Impacts | Science Behind Naming Winter Storms | Winter Storm Central)

As of late Tuesday afternoon, heavy snow and wind gusts over 50 mph have been reported in parts of Nebraska, including McCook and Grand Island. In parts of Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin, thundersnow has been reported.

Blizzard conditions have been observed near Grand Island, Nebraska, prompting a closure of portions of Interstate 80 Tuesday morning. A stretch of Interstate 70 from east of Denver to near Hays, Kansas, and Interstate 29 in southeast South Dakota were also closed Tuesday morning due to snow and wind. 

Before advancing into the Plains, Kayla dumped more than two feet of snow across some higher elevation locations in California and Colorado to start the week. For more snow and wind reports for Kayla, see the bottom of this article.

(MORE: Memories from Past Groundhog Days)

Impacts: How Much Snow, Wind?

Parts of the central Plains, Upper Midwest and northern Great Lakes will see the most significant additional snow from Kayla.

Here is our latest snowfall forecast:

• At least 6 inches of additional snow: Northern Michigan including the Upper Peninsula.
• Some cities with a chance of snowfall totals of at least 6 inches: Minneapolis | Green Bay | Marquette

Sustained winds may reach 25 to 40 mph with gusts over 50 mph over parts of Nebraska, western and central Iowa, southeastern South Dakota and southern Minnesota into early Wednesday. The combination of snow and wind will result in blizzard or near-blizzard conditions, at times, in those areas.

Expect travel to become increasingly difficult, if not impossible from the High Plains to parts of the Missouri Valley and Upper Mississippi Valley through early Wednesday. 

Stretches of Interstates 29, 35, 80, and 90, as well as many secondary roads, may be forced to close for some time in areas with blizzard conditions specified above. 

If that wasn't enough, severe thunderstorms, with a few tornadoes, have developed on the warm side of Winter Storm Kayla over parts of the South. More information on the thunderstorm threat is at the link below.

(MORE: Severe Weather Outbreak Potential)

Winter Storm Kayla Timing

The low-pressure system associated with Kayla is forecast to move northeastward and intensify, moving through the mid-Mississippi Valley into early Wednesday, with heavy snow to the north and northwest of the low track from the central Plains into the Upper Midwest.

Into early Wednesday, snow will continue to spread into the northern Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi Valley.

Kayla then will move swiftly to the northeast with precipitation tapering off to lighter snow across parts of the Great Lakes by Wednesday evening.

With the low projected to pass through the eastern Great Lakes and into Canada, mainly rain is in the forecast for the East Coast into Wednesday. It is possible that some sufficiently cold air may be trapped in some valley locations of the interior Northeast to allow a bit of snow, sleet and freezing rain as precipitation first develops, but the storm track does not favor widespread accumulating snow or ice across the region.

(MORE: The Great Northeast Snow Meltdown)

Snow Reports So Far

Here are some storm reports by state as of Tuesday night.

Iowa

• Boyden: 16 inches
• Hawarden: 15 inches
• Sioux Center: 13 inches
• Mason City: 10 inches
• Des Moines: 2.5 inches

Kansas

• Park: 15 inches
• Oberlin: 15 inches
• Sharon Springs: 14 inches
• Near Goodland: 12 inches
• Colby: 11 inches
• Long Island: Drifts up to 5 feet, blizzard conditions with visibility under one-eighth mile

Michigan

• Near Mancelona: 6 inches
• Mio: 5 inches

Minnesota

• Oakdale: 12 inches
• Near Lakeville: 11 inches
• Near Madelia: 10 inches
• Mankato: 9 inches
• Near downtown Minneapolis: 8 inches

Nebraska

• Grand Island: 18.3 inches (whiteout conditions Tuesday morning)
• Hastings National Weather Service Office: 15.7 inches
• Near Norfolk: 14 inches
• Near North Platte: 11.8 inches, with two to three foot snow drifts
• Omaha metro: 4-7 inches
• 6-foot drifts with reports of people stuck in rural Phelps County

South Dakota

• Vermillion: 17 inches
• Near North Sioux City: 14.5 inches
• Near Yankton: 7.5 inches
• Lead: 6 inches
• Near Sioux Falls: 6.7 inches

Wisconsin

• Mellen: 8 inches
• Near La Crosse: 7.9 inches
• Arcadia: 6.5 inches

West Region

Arizona

• Grand Canyon North Rim: 15 inches; Flagstaff Airport: 10.2 inches

California

• Lake Thomas Edison: 30 inches; Grant Grove: 27.1 inches

Colorado

• Coal Bank Pass: 41 inches; Ft. Collins (foothills): 17 inches; Near Colorado Springs: 17 inches; Denver Int'l Airport: 11.6 inches

Nevada

• Mount Rose Ski Area: 19 inches; Ely: 10.2 inches

New Mexico

• Near Red River: 22 inches; Angel Fire: 17 inches; Chama: 13.5 inches

Utah

• Blanding and Moab: 6 inches

Wyoming

• Near Glenrock: 33 inches; Near Saratoga: 30 inches; Near Casper: 24 inches; Near Laramie: 22 inches; Cheyenne: 16 inches

Wind Reports So Far

Winds have gusted as high as 53 mph in Grand Island, Nebraska, during the blizzard, there. 

According to the National Weather Service near Omaha, blizzard criteria was met at Columbus, Norfolk, and Wayne, Nebraska Tuesday morning. 

(MORE: What is a Blizzard?)

Wind gusts over 40 mph were also measured in Michigan Tuesday evening, including East Grand Rapids where a wind gust of 46 mph was reported.

The potent area of low pressure aloft associated with Kayla pushed into the Southwest on Sunday. This brought a burst of locally heavy rain, and a few thunderstorms, into Southern California. 

Damaging wind gusts were reported in Southern California on Sunday and one person was killed in Pacific Beach due to a falling tree. Injuries were also reported due to falling trees near Santa Barbara and Rainbow, California. Flash flooding also impacted the area including near Santa Barbara and Santa Clarita.

Whitaker Peak in Southern California recorded a gust of 115 mph and a gust of 87 mph was measured in the hills above Malibu. 

On Monday, a wind gust of 95 mph was measured in San Augustin Pass, New Mexico and a gust of 61 mph was reported near Silverton, Colorado.

PHOTOS: Winter Storm Kayla