Blizzard brewing in Northern Plains, Upper Midwest as spring storm targets region

A powerful storm across the Northern Plains on Sunday was expected to bring heavy snow and strong gusts with potential blizzard conditions that will extend through early this week.

The National Weather Service forecast snow through the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest on Sunday, and conditions were expected to blanket the region through Tuesday. The early spring snowstorm will inundate a region that didn't get much snow this winter, bringing some sleet and rain overnight, according to the Weather Prediction Center.

At least 8 inches of snow will fall in parts of Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin, the weather service said. "Snow may accumulate at 1 to 2 inches per hour in heavier bands," the weather service said Sunday evening.

Parts of the region under blizzard warnings could see whiteout conditions and wind gusts in excess of 50 mph. The storm could create hazardous drifting snow and possible blizzard conditions on Sunday and Monday, the weather service said.

The storms already have created disruptions and closures. South Dakota State University announced the campus will be closed through Monday night.

The central and southern Plains also could see strong winds that blow dust, reduce visibility, damage property and cause power outages. And south near the Texas panhandle, the weather service warned of very dry conditions in parts, alongside strong winds. The area recently experienced the largest wildfire in Texas history.

Hazardous conditions due to snow, wind

Blizzard conditions with near zero visibility are expected into early Tuesday, according to the Weather Prediction Center. "Travel could be nearly impossible," the center said.

Road closures could occur throughout the week, officials said, and tree damage and power outages were also possible. The storm may be the biggest for the winter in parts of the northern Plains and the Upper Midwest, AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.

"Within the heaviest snow zone, rates of 1-3 inches per hour are possible, which can overwhelm road crews and leave motorists stranded out in the open," Buckingham added.

Winter storm warning in the West

In the West, the National Weather Service posted a winter storm warning in the Sierra Nevada region, and 12 to 18 inches of snow was expected in higher elevations. The storm was expected to cause travel delays because of slick and snow-covered roads and downed tree branches across the region near the California-Nevada border.

A winter weather advisory extended across other parts of the West, including Northern Arizona and parts of Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. Higher elevations were expected to get a half foot of snow and wind gusts of 40 mph.

Rain, flooding impact large stretches of East Coast

The potential blizzard in the Northern Plains comes a day after heavy spring rain covered the busy Interstate 95 corridor. I-95 runs through several large metropolitan areas including Miami, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington and Boston. AccuWeather warned of urban flooding and slow travel on Saturday before dry weather and sunshine returned Sunday.

New York was particularly hard hit Saturday as flooding inundated roadways, making travel treacherous and shutting down parts of the Staten Island Railway and the Cross Island Parkway in Queens, the Associated Press reported. Parts of Manhattan recorded more than 3 inches of rain, the weather service reported.

Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas and Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY