Heavy lake effect snow to bring travel impacts Monday into Tuesday

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Our first significant lake effect snow event of the season is on the way for Monday into Tuesday morning.

Tonight features flurries with no impacts in our northern communities. Temperatures will be cold though near 20 degrees or in the teens to the south.

A Winter Storm Watch then goes into effect by 10 a.m. on Monday and stays in effect until 10 a.m. on Tuesday. This only includes St. Joseph (IN), Cass, and Berrien counties. This will either be upgraded to an advisory or a warning by Monday morning.

The biggest concern being heavy snow that will make visibility poor and roadways slippery and perhaps treacherous at times.

Threat tracker is a 3/5 for Berrien and Cass counties for the highest impacts there.

2/5 on the threat tracker for much of St. Joseph County and areas bordering.

Winds will not be too much of a problem with these lake effect snow bands with gusts up to 20 mph, so minimal drifting of snow is expected. 

Monday afternoon is the beginning of the snow showers in South Bend, but as early as mid-morning for Berrien and Cass counties.

The evening commute Monday could be impacted near US-31 as a heavier band begins to develop.

Lake effect snow intensifies further to its peak late Monday night and into Tuesday morning. Most models have very heavy snow Tuesday morning, making travel difficult from Benton Harbor into South Bend.

US-31, I-94, and I-80/90 will be the most impacted by this lake effect band Tuesday morning.

In total, 3-6 inches of snow is likely in South Bend, perhaps even more in further forecast updates.

Heaviest snow is confined to Cass and Berrien counties with over 6 inches likely. Isolated or localized double-digit totals are also expected in those areas.

Less snow to the south, but at least a trace is expected along and north of US-30.

Stay with ABC57 First Warning Neighborhood Weather for more forecast updates later tonight and throughout the day on Monday.