Winter Storm Plods Through West, Midwest

A fast-moving storm is promising to bring a white Christmas to parts of the West and Midwest, but not without threatening to cause long delays and tough driving conditions for countless holiday travelers.

Photo: Winter Storm Plods Through West, Midwest

The storm is expected to dump more than a foot of snow on parts of Colorado and Southern Utah by midday Wednesday, and blow east into the Plains states through Christmas Day. Blizzard warnings were likely on Christmas Eve in Kansas.

"Pretty much the entire central and southern Rockies are going to get snow, and then it's going east and will drop more snow," said Stan Rose, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Pueblo, Colo, The Associated Press reports.

A major snow storm will hit Colorado during the next 48 hours, but it is expected to be fairly lame compared with the massive wintery wallop it'll give the Midwest through Christmas Eve.

"We're really lucking out here," said meteorologist Don Day of DayWeather in Cheyenne. "If this storm was any further west or better organized, it would be much, much worse. It's going to absolutely pummel the Midwest Christmas Eve and Christmas Day," The Coloradoan reports.

The National Weather Service forecast for Greater Lafayette calls for rain today. It should be breezy, with wind gusts up to 26 mph. Highs should be in the upper 30s.

Rain is also likely tonight. It should still be windy, with gusts up to 22 mph. Lows should be in the low 30s.

More rain is in Thursday's forecast. Winds should increase, with sustained winds to between 20 and 25 mph and gusts up to 28 mph. Highs should be around 40.

Thursday night's forecast calls for more rain, with winds slightly increasing. Gusts up to 31 mph are possible. Lows should be in the upper 30s.

There's a 30 percent chance of rain and snow on Christmas Day. It should be cloudy and continued windy, with gusts up to 33 mph. Highs should be around 40.

There's a 30 percent chance of snow showers Friday night. Winds should also be dying down. Lows should be in the mid 20s.

Saturday's forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of snow. It should be cloudy, with highs in the upper 20s, reports Journal and Courier.