Verified and updated November 12, 2026, at 1:27 a.m. UTC
Snow is expected to affect parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast through Friday, with the strongest early signal in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center (WPC) gives the Huron Mountains a greater than 70% chance of at least 4 inches of snow. Higher elevations of the interior Northeast are also forecast to see the season’s first widespread accumulating snowfall Thursday into Friday, though the location of the heaviest bands remains uncertain.
For the broader storm track, the WPC also flags mountain snow in the Sierra Nevada and higher parts of the Rockies later Friday into Saturday. These are regional forecasts, not a single coast-to-coast snowstorm, and local conditions will vary with elevation, precipitation type, and the storm’s path.
The most immediate accumulating snow concern is in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where cold air moving over the still relatively mild Great Lakes is expected to produce lake-effect precipitation. The WPC says multi-band snow could begin late Wednesday evening and continue into Saturday. The Huron Mountains, away from the warmer lake shore, have a greater than 70% chance of reaching 4 inches. Lighter snow is forecast across much of the rest of the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula.
Farther east, a strengthening low is forecast to move across the Mid-Atlantic on Thursday and then offshore Thursday night into Friday. The WPC expects the first widespread accumulating snowfall of the season across higher elevations of the interior Northeast. Snow or a rain-snow mix is initially most likely above roughly 1,500 feet. As colder air arrives, heavier wet snow could reach elevations around 500 feet or lower in narrow bands, but that lower-elevation outcome is less certain.
In the West, the WPC expects a period of moderate to heavy snow in the Sierra Nevada Friday afternoon into early Saturday. Snow levels are forecast to start near 8,000 feet and fall to about 6,000–7,000 feet. Higher terrain in parts of Idaho, Utah, and Colorado may also see accumulating snow Friday night into Saturday.
Forecast probabilities are more useful than a single national total because the heaviest snowfall depends on where narrow precipitation bands set up. For the Catskills, Adirondacks, and southern Greens, the WPC estimates a 50%–70% chance of at least 4 inches and a 30%–50% chance of at least 8 inches. These probabilities apply to the identified higher terrain, not every town in the Northeast.
The forecast highlights wet, heavy snow, especially Thursday night into Friday morning. Because some trees may still carry leaves, the WPC notes a risk of tree damage and power outages in areas that receive heavier accumulations. Snow showers could continue in favored upslope locations after most of the main precipitation exits Friday evening.
A low-pressure system tracking from the Ohio Valley toward the Mid-Atlantic is expected to strengthen, while a trough pushes south from Ontario into the Great Lakes and Northeast. In Michigan, northerly flow across the comparatively warm lakes supports lake-effect bands. In the interior Northeast, the storm’s departing circulation is expected to pull in colder air. That shift can change precipitation from rain or a mix to wet snow, particularly at higher elevations.
The forecast is not equally certain everywhere. The WPC says the exact placement of heavier Northeast snow bands is still uncertain. A small shift in a band can produce meaningfully different totals across nearby communities. In the Upper Peninsula, lake-effect snow can also vary sharply over short distances. Treat the snowfall probabilities as guidance for a region, not a promise for a specific address.
Snow-covered and slick roads are possible where heavier bands develop, including in higher parts of the Northeast and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Wet snow can cling to trees and weigh down branches, which may contribute to isolated outages. In the Sierra Nevada, the WPC warns that heavy mountain snow could make some passes difficult to travel, particularly above 7,000–8,000 feet.
These impacts are forecast possibilities, not confirmed reports of closures or outages. Check the latest local National Weather Service forecast and state road-condition information before traveling. The WPC’s national discussion provides the regional picture; local forecast offices issue the watches, warnings, and advisories relevant to individual communities.
Lake-effect rain and snow showers may persist downwind of the Great Lakes into the weekend, although the WPC’s medium-range discussion expects accumulations to be minor after the main system departs. Upslope snow is also forecast across the central Appalachians through Saturday, especially at higher elevations, before tapering Sunday.
In California, the Sierra Nevada forecast extends into early Saturday, with the heaviest snow expected Friday evening and night. The WPC’s discussion gives higher elevations above roughly 6,500–7,000 feet a greater than 50% chance of at least 8 inches. Those figures are forecast probabilities and may change as the storm approaches.
For evolving totals, use the WPC’s Probabilistic Heavy Snow and Icing Discussion and its national forecast and hazard outlook. Local NWS offices can refine timing and impacts for specific towns and routes.
The WPC gives the Huron Mountains in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula a greater than 70% chance of at least 4 inches. Several higher-elevation areas in the interior Northeast have a 50%–70% chance.
The WPC discussion emphasizes higher elevations of the interior Northeast. It does not establish a specific snow amount for New York City, so check the local NWS forecast for the latest city-level precipitation outlook.
The current WPC outlook favors Thursday night into Friday morning for accumulating heavy wet snow at higher elevations, with most precipitation forecast to exit by Friday evening.
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