Today, we delve into the pressing meteorological phenomena affecting various regions across the United States. Our primary focus centers on the continuation of lake effect snow, particularly in the vicinity of lakes Erie and Ontario, as lingering heavy bands persist through midweek. As gale conditions prevail over Lake Erie, with winds reaching 30 to 35 knots and wave heights of 8 to 13 feet, we underscore the significant hazards posed to small craft and shoreline travel. Furthermore, we address the ongoing recovery efforts in the aftermath of a debilitating blizzard that has left over 150,000 without power, with Michigan bearing the brunt of the impacts. Additionally, we explore the forecast for Southern California, where moderate to strong Santa Ana winds precede a series of rain events that may provoke hazardous conditions, including potential mudslides and debris flows on recent burn scars.
[USGS — M5.1, 93 km N of Yakutat, AK | https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000rlhy]
[NWS Los Angeles (LOX) — Rain/Santa Ana Overview | https://www.weather.gov/lox/]
[NWS LOX Area Forecast Discussion | https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?issuedby=LOX&site=LOX&product=AFD&format=CI&version=1]
[Iowa DOT/DPS — Plan to Reopen I-35 (News Release) | https://iowadot.gov/news/2025-12-29/iowa-dot-and-dps-plan-reopen-interstate-35-early-afternoon-december-29]
[KCRG — I-35 Fully Reopens (Local Confirmation) | https://www.kcrg.com/2025/12/29/i-35-fully-reopens-after-nearly-24-hour-blizzard-closure-north-central-iowa/?outputType=amp]
[NWS Baltimore/Washington (LWX) — High Wind Warning (Highland Co. VA/Blue Ridge) | https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=VAZ503&warncounty=VAC091&firewxzone=VAZ503&local_place1=Blue+Grass+VA&product1=High+Wind+Warning]
[NWS LWX — High Wind Warning (Blue Ridge) | https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=VAZ507&warncounty=VAC113&firewxzone=VAZ507&local_place1=Etlan+VA&product1=High+Wind+Warning]
[NWS Blacksburg (RNK) — Hazardous Weather Outlook noting High Wind Warning (WV Potomac Highlands) | https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=rnk&wwa=hazardous+weather+outlook]
[PowerOutage.US — Michigan Statewide Outage Map (Live) | https://poweroutage.us/area/state/michigan]
[AP — Great Lakes/Northeast Storm & Outages Overview | https://apnews.com/article/91be280dce64d7d02ff587ba63e5dd26]
[NWS Buffalo — Winter Storm Warning (Lake-Effect) | https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=NYZ020&warncounty=NYC009&firewxzone=NYZ200&local_place1=Olean+NY&product1=Winter+Storm+Warning]
[Office of Governor Hochul — Expanded State of Emergency | https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-expands-state-emergency-statewide-response-lake-effect-snow-and-high-winds]
[NWS Cleveland — Lake Erie Marine Gale Warnings | https://www.weather.gov/cle/marine_forecast]
[NWS Cleveland — Winter Weather Advisory/Lake-Effect (NE OH) | https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=OHZ022&warncounty=OHC133&firewxzone=OHZ022&local_place1=Hiram+OH&product1=Winter+Weather+Advisory]
[NWS Cleveland — Lake Effect Snow Warning (Erie/Crawford) | https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=PAZ001&warncounty=PAC049&firewxzone=PAZ001&local_place1=Erie+PA&product1=Lake+Effect+Snow+Warning]
[NWS State College (CTP) — Lake Effect Snow Warning (Warren/McKean) | https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=CTP&wwa=lake+effect+snow+warning]
[NWS Baltimore/Washington (LWX) — High Wind Warning (Blue Ridge) | https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=VAZ507&warncounty=VAC113&firewxzone=VAZ507&local_place1=Etlan+VA&product1=High+Wind+Warning]
[NWS Blacksburg (RNK) — Hazardous Weather Outlook noting High Wind Warning (Western Greenbrier) | https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=rnk&wwa=hazardous+weather+outlook]
Lake effect snow continues today downwind of lakes Erie and Ontario as the departing cyclone keeps bands locked in place.
Speaker A:The Weather Prediction center highlights lingering heavy bands through midweek.
Speaker A:Gale conditions persist on Lake Erie this morning with 30 to 35 knot winds and 8 to 13 foot waves, a hazard for small craft and shoreline travel.
Speaker A:Power restoration and travel recovery continue after widespread blizzard impacts from the upper Midwest into the Northeast.
Speaker A:Reporting today notes more than 150,000 outages at the peak with Michigan hardest hit and whiteouts in the Great Lakes corridor in the West.
Speaker A:Southern California faces moderate to strong Santa Ana winds through today followed by a multi day rain event mid week that could trigger rock slides, mudslides and minor debris flows on recent burn scars.
Speaker A:Overnight in Alaska, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck north of Yakutat.
Speaker A:Tsunami centers issued an information statement with no warning watch or advisory.
Speaker A:Let's run through the states.
Speaker A:Alaska overnight, a magnitude 5.1 quake about 50 to 60 miles north of Yakutat triggered a tsunami information statement, no warning watch or advisory and no immediate damage reports from state or local agencies.
Speaker A:California NWS Los Angeles Flags moderate to strong Santa Anas through today with downed tree risk over saturated soils and hazardous near shore marine conditions from Ventura to Santa Monica.
Speaker A:A series of systems brings significant rain Wednesday.
Speaker A:Saturday 1 to 3 inches for coasts valleys and 3 to 5 inches in mountains foothills.
Speaker A:Expect roadway stream flooding, rock slides and minor debris flows on recent burn scars.
Speaker A:Iowa I35 closures from Ames to the Minnesota line during blizzard conditions have fully reopened.
Speaker A:Iowa DOT confirms the overnight to Monday shutdown and phased restoration.
Speaker A:Maryland High wind warning continues today across the western high terrain with gusts meeting warning criteria.
Speaker A:Michigan Post blizzard recovery continues.
Speaker A:Power restoration is ongoing after peak outages exceeding 100,000 statewide.
Speaker A:Lake effect bands and blowing snow still reduce visibility in favored belts with marine hazards on the lakes and winter advisories active.
Speaker A:New York Lake effect snow warnings remain for portions of western and north central New York with whiteouts and treacherous travel in the core bands through midweek.
Speaker A:Ohio Lake Erie Gale warning is in effect for nearshore and open waters with 30 to 35 knot winds and 8 to 13 foot waves.
Speaker A:Adjacent counties see winter advisories and lake effect warnings east of Cleveland.
Speaker A:Pennsylvania Northwest Pennsylvania remains under lake effect snow warnings with travel impacts through Thursday evening.
Speaker A:Winds and squalls will create localized whiteouts and drifting, especially in Erie and Crawford counties.
Speaker A:Virginia High wind warning continues today across Highland county ridges with damaging gusts.
Speaker A:West Virginia High wind warning remains in effect for the Potomac Highlands.
Speaker A:Anticipate tree limbs down and sporadic outages.
Speaker A:All other states have no significant updates in the last 24 hours.
Speaker A:We'll keep tracking lake effect hazards in the Great Lakes and midweek rain impacts in Southern California.
Speaker A:Source links are in the show notes below.