Feb 24, 2012; 3:47 PM ET
In a winter season that has been dominated by mild temperatures and lack of snow, the Great Lakes and the Northeast are in for a reminder that winter is not yet over.
A potent storm system that pushed through the Ohio Valley Thursday night will slide into the interior Northeast on today, bringing a blast of arctic air, howling winds and some snow.
While the mild temperatures the region has seen recently has residents looking ahead to spring, many in the Great Lakes and Northeast have a rude awakening from Old Man Winter in store.
Places from Chicago, Ill., to Detroit, Mich., to Ottawa, Ontario, to Montreal, Quebec, will have some flakes flying today and tonight.
Residents who plan on traveling today should be prepared for slower travel and should exercise caution as roads could become slick in spots.
As the storm passes by this afternoon, much colder air will wrap in and change precipitation to snow in places like Erie, Pa., Buffalo, N.Y., and Toronto, Ontario. Moreover, any remaining slush or wet spots will freeze, further causing dangerous travel conditions.
Photo by Manan Ahmed
The cold air will gradually filter throughout the Northeast through Saturday. Afternoon high temperatures for the start of the weekend will be 10-20 degrees colder than they were on Friday in some places.
In the wake of the storm, gusty northwesterly winds will howl through the Northeast, with gusts past 50 mph possible.
Strong, gusty winds have the potential to knock down trees and power lines, which can lead to power outages. The winds can also make travel dangerous. High profile vehicles have an especially difficult time since strong winds can easily tip them over.
Looking ahead, strong high pressure will return to the East for the latter half of the weekend, and temperatures will then rebound once again for the start of next week.
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