Winter weather hits northern plains, metro-east to stay rainy

An intensifying Christmas snow storm will move across the northern plain states this holiday weekend just as travelers are taking off to visit family and loved ones, but weather in the metro-east will remain relatively balmy through Sunday.

Though metro-east drivers faced a chilly morning Friday, the weekend should bring temperatures in the 40s and up to 60 degrees with rain and maybe even a thunderstorm on Christmas Day. Meanwhile, a winter storm system moved across Minnesota Thursday and Friday, causing what one weather reporter with The (Minneapolis) Star Tribune called “nuisance snow.”

Snowy weather is not likely to affect air travel in St. Louis or Chicago, though travel in the northern plains and Minnesota could be impacted, The Weather Channel reported Thursday. For a full map of impacted flights, visit FlightView.com, which offers a scope of winter-related delays. The National Weather Service also maintains a map of winter weather patterns.

Parts of the Mountain States and North and South Dakota will face freezing rain, white-out conditions and up to 18 inches of snow through Christmas Day, according to The Weather Channel. That storm will turn into rain as it continues toward the east coast after Christmas.

This story was originally published December 23, 2016 at 11:19 AM with the headline "Winter weather hits northern plains, metro-east to stay rainy."