Justin Liles: Heavy snow coming with more cold and gusty winds

A strong area of low pressure currently spinning over James Bay in northeastern Ontario is behind the drop in temperatures and the snowfall. This low is also going to keep us under a northwest flow and bring in some lake effect snow showers for the snowbelt of northern Wisconsin and the U.P. of Michigan. Heavy snow along the south shore will get underway later tonight through Saturday morning. During this time some of the higher terrain east of Ashland will see nearly a foot of snowfall or more.

On top of the snow, winds will be rather gusty Friday into Saturday and likely lower visibilities on the roads. Slick travel in these areas is likely over the next 48 hours. The rest of the region will hardly see a thing and get up to an inch of snow at best. Bigger lakes up north could see 2-4 inches along the southern shore of these lakes. Lakes like Lake of the Woods, Rainy Lake, and Lake Vermilion. Colder than average temperatures will hang around through the middle of next week.

TONIGHT
Isolated light snow, Mostly cloudy, with a low around 10. Blustery, with a northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
FRIDAY
Partly sunny, with a high near 19. Blustery, with a northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
SATURDAY
Partly sunny, with a high near 18. Blustery, with a northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
SUNDAY
Partly sunny, with a high near 24. Northwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
MONDAY
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 20. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
TUESDAY
A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 21. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
WEDNESDAY
A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 27. West wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.