While the blizzard has come to an end, lake-effect snow and squalls will continue to develop over the Great Lakes this weekend. For more information, please visit this news story. High winds, heavy snow and localized blizzard conditions caused travel chaos across the midwestern United States late this past week.

After dumping over a foot of snow across the northern and central Rockies on Thursday, a storm with heavy snow and high winds shifted into the Midwest on Friday. The heaviest snow fell from Nebraska and South Dakota to portions of Minnesota and Ontario, where snowfall totals ranged from several inches to nearly a foot. Nearly 14 inches of snow was reported in Cass County, Minnesota.
Storm map
© AccuWeather
There was a sharp variation in snowfall on the northern and southern fringes, where a few miles meant the difference between a couple of inches of snow and more than half a foot. Blizzard conditions unfolded across these areas as wind gusts in excess of 50 mph howled from the north and northwest. The combination of heavy snow and high winds led to blowing and drifting snow, near-zero visibility and extremely dangerous travel along area roadways.

The first flakes of the season in Denver resulted in a deadly 20-car pileup along Interstate 70 near Evergreen, just outside of Denver. Parts of the highway were closed at multiple times throughout the evening. As many as 340 crashes and 550 spinouts were reported on Minnesota roadways on Friday, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. Two people were killed and another 37 were injured.

The heavy snow began to wind down from southwest to northeast across the region during Friday night. Sunshine will return for snow removal operations through this weekend.