Winter refused to loosen its grip Tuesday as the National Weather Service issued fresh storm warnings for parts of South Dakota, Minnesota and Michigan, forecasting 6 to 12 inches of snow and wind gusts up to 40 mph from Wednesday through Friday, creating hazardous travel conditions just as spring officially begins and Easter weekend approaches.
The late-season system arrives on April 1, delivering what meteorologists called a "surprise round of snow" to northern areas of the Upper Midwest even as much of the country enjoys milder temperatures. Winter storm warnings, watches and advisories cover northern Minnesota, parts of South Dakota and sections of Michigan's Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, with the heaviest impacts expected Wednesday night into Thursday.
