Snow is falling. Finally. If you’ve been looking at the brown grass in your backyard this January and wondering where winter went, you aren’t alone. Up until this morning, much of the country felt more like a soggy April than the middle of the "frozen" season. But as of today, Wednesday, January 14, 2026, the atmospheric gears are grinding into a new position.
Right now, a sharp cold front is slicing through the interior of the country, and it’s dragging a messy mix of rain and heavy snow behind it. If you’re in the Great Lakes, the Appalachians, or certain high-elevation pockets of the West, the shovels are finally coming out of the garage.
The Lake Effect Machine Is Cranking Up
If you want to find the real action today, look toward Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan. The National Weather Service in Northern Indiana has issued a Winter Storm Warning that’s basically a neon sign for "stay off the roads." We’re talking about heavy lake-effect snow dumping anywhere from 6 to 12 inches through Thursday.
Berrien County, Michigan, is the bullseye right now. Winds are whipping off Lake Michigan at 40 to 45 mph. It’s not just the snow; it’s the whiteout conditions. You basically can't see the hood of your car in some of these squalls.
Further east, the Finger Lakes region in New York is seeing a classic "switch-over" event. It started as rain earlier this afternoon, but as the sun goes down, that low-pressure system is strengthening. By tonight, it’s all snow. Residents in places like Elmira and Ithaca are looking at a solid 3 to 5 inches by dawn, with more piling up near the Lake Ontario shoreline.
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What’s Happening in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast?
It’s a bit of a tease for the big cities. In Washington D.C. and Baltimore, it’s mostly just cold and windy. You might see a "conversational snowflake"—the kind that makes you look up for a second but doesn't actually stick to the sidewalk.
However, if you head into the Appalachians, things get serious. The Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina are under alerts for several inches of accumulation on the higher peaks. The Laurel Highlands and Ridges in Pennsylvania are also seeing rain turn to snow this evening.
- Pittsburgh: Snow starts sticking between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
- The Ridges: Expect slick roads and active plows overnight.
- Western PA: A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect as temperatures dive below 32°F around 9 p.m.
Honestly, the commute tomorrow morning is going to be a disaster for anyone traveling through the mountains of the interior Northeast. The ground is still relatively warm from the recent mild stretch, which means that first layer of snow is going to melt and then flash-freeze into a sheet of ice.
The Weird West: High Peaks vs. Low Valleys
The Western US is having a bit of an identity crisis this week. In Oregon, the situation is actually pretty dire for skiers. Mt. Bachelor and Timberline Lodge are reporting less than 50% of their normal snowpack. It’s been so warm that what should be snow is falling as rain, even at higher elevations.
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But it's not all bad news.
If you go to Utah, the high-elevation resorts (anything above 9,000 feet) are doing okay. But the lower-elevation spots like Nordic Valley are just now opening their lifts for the first week of the season. It’s the latest start on record for many.
Up in Alaska, specifically near Skagway, a Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the Klondike Highway. They’re expecting 12 to 20 inches of the white stuff. If you’re driving near White Pass, you’re dealing with 65 mph gusts. That’s not a winter wonderland; that’s a survival situation.
Why the Snow "Drought" Is Breaking
Meteorologists have been pointing to a polar vortex disruption that happened earlier in the month, but the real culprit for the lack of snow until now has been a stagnant ridge of high pressure in the Southwest. It’s basically been a wall, blocking moisture and keeping temperatures record-warm.
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That wall is finally cracking.
We’re starting to see Arctic air leak down into the northern tier of the US. While 2026 started out unseasonably warm, the Climate Prediction Center is now flagging a "slight risk of heavy snow" for the Great Lakes and Central Appalachians through the end of next week.
Real-Time Travel Advice for Today
If you are currently in a region where the rain is turning to snow, the biggest danger isn't the depth—it's the flash freeze.
- Check the 9:00 PM Marker: In the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic, this is when the mercury drops below freezing. Anything wet on the road becomes black ice instantly.
- Mountain Passes: If you’re crossing the Appalachians or the Cascades, don't trust the valley floor weather. It might be 40 degrees in the city and a blizzard 2,000 feet up.
- Wind Chills: In places like Montana, while the snowpack is only at 32% of normal, the temperatures are brutal. Wind chills are dipping into the teens, making any car trouble potentially life-threatening.
The "snow drought" isn't over for everyone, but for the Great Lakes and the mountain corridors of the East, winter has officially arrived. Keep an eye on the radar if you're in Michigan or New York tonight—it’s coming down fast.
Your Next Steps:
Keep a close watch on the National Weather Service's local office for your specific county, as lake-effect snow bands are notorious for shifting five miles and doubling the snowfall total in minutes. If you are planning a ski trip, focus on high-elevation resorts in the Rockies rather than the West Coast until the snowpack stabilizes later this month.