Winter 'Bomb Cyclone' May Slam Down On Midwest Amid Holiday Travel

A powerful winter storm is expected to plow into the Midwest Thursday and remain for several days before exiting to the east, and since it's mere days before Christmas, the storm will likely hinder holiday travel around much of the nation.

Much of the United States will be battered by severe winter weather this week—from frigid subzero temperatures as far south as Texas to blizzard-like conditions encompassing the central U.S. to heavy rains and strong winds hitting areas near the East Coast.

Much of the volatile weather is because of an arctic blast descending south into the United States from Canada. The conditions have created a bomb cyclone, or a powerfully developing storm due to pressure changes, that is forecasted to slam into the Midwest during peak holiday travel time.

The Weather Channel has forecasted that the major storm will impact the Midwest, Northeast and the South by the end of the week. Many states will be in for a white Christmas, as the severe storm is bringing anywhere from a few inches to more than a foot of snow in certain areas.

The Arctic Blast in the Midwest Creates Travel Advisories

As of Wednesday, snow was in the northern plains states and moving east, expected to hit the Midwest by Thursday morning. The Weather Channel Meteorologist Domenica Davis said this is when the storm will get a "shot in the arm" and develop into its most powerful potential as it moves over the Midwest.

'This Thing Means Business'

First, the Midwest will be subject to strong winds, and then the snow will move in beginning Thursday afternoon. Blizzard conditions are expected Thursday and Friday, accompanied by wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour. Davis said travel advisories are expected to be in place beginning Wednesday.

WROC Chief Meteorologist Eric Snitil shared a forecasted track of the storm on Twitter and called it "simply incredible". He compared the extreme drop in pressure to that "on par with what we'd expect with a CAT 3 hurricane."

"This thing means business," he tweeted.

The storm is expected to move through the eastern part of the United States and exit by Saturday, but snow accumulation will remain through Christmas.

"You have a long way to go, especially Thursday and Friday, that will be the height of the storm," Davis said.

The storm will deposit widespread snow averaging 5 inches but reaching as high as more than a foot in parts of Michigan. Parts of Tennessee could see an inch of snow, with Chicago getting a forecasted 5 to 8 inches and Indianapolis forecasted to receive 1 to 3 inches.

As the storm moves east, it will take the snow with it. Buffalo could see as much as a foot of snow as well just barely a month after a lake-effect snowstorm covered the western part of New York with several feet of snow.

Newsweek reached out to AccuWeather for comment.

How Will The Arctic Blast Affect The Plains?

It's not just the Midwest that will be battered by the weather.

By Thursday, subzero temperatures will hit Kansas, with some meteorologists forecasting lows in Oklahoma and in the Texas panhandle as subzero as well.

Although the arctic blast is expected to plunge Texas into frigid temperatures, the Lone Star State won't be subject to much snow. As of Monday, the snow was expected to miss Texas, which could be the power grid's saving grace.