(NewsNation Now) — Temperatures are expected to plunge behind an arctic cold front pushing through the Northeast by the end of the week and could lead to dangerous wind chills into Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
A “quick-hitting” winter storm could produce a swath of heavy snow across parts of the Northern Plains and Midwest, the NWS forecast.
The fast-moving storm is expected to bring snowfall from North Dakota into northern Missouri beginning Thursday night. Snowfall rates may reach one inch per hour at times, the NWS predicted.
Conditions are expected to rapidly deteriorate across parts of North Dakota tonight, before snow shifts into eastern South Dakota and southwest Minnesota on Friday morning, according to the NWS.
Forecasters are predicting that the winter storm could dump nearly a foot of snow on parts of Iowa.
The National Weather Service said the storm could move into central Iowa on Friday, with wind gusts of 20 to 25 mph producing pockets of blowing and drifting snow, especially in open, rural areas.
One of the hardest-hit areas will be Des Moines, where forecasts call for accumulations of upto 7 to 11 inches.
The National Weather Service warns that travel will be hazardous at times and that the Friday evening commute will be affected.