A major winter storm system will move out of the Plains into the Great Lakes on Thursday/Friday. Strong winds gusting to 70 mph will rake the northern and central Plains with heavy snows from 4 to 8 inches falling over Minnesota and Iowa into western Wisconsin.

Chicago will be positioned in the southern portion of the storm system with rain changing to snow Thursday afternoon — the snow continuing overnight into Friday, accumulations here are expected to be slight, in the 1- to 2-inch range.

Upper level low pressure then will hold into the weekend continuing the cloudiness here with occasional light snow or flurries. Cloudy conditions will likely continue into the first part of next week as low pressure passes to our south.