Winter weather and heavy winds to put a freeze on post-holiday travel

Messy winter weather — including snow, ice and strong winds — is putting more stress on already busy post-holiday travel plans.

Messy winter weather — including snow, ice and strong winds — is putting more stress on already busy post-holiday travel plans.

A bomb-cyclone dumped snow on the midwest through the northeast over the weekend, and as of Monday, 32 million are under winter weather alerts across the upper midwest, northeast and New England. Blizzard warnings are still in effect for the upper peninsula of Michigan.

Lake effect snow is of concern for upstate New York, specifically in Buffalo. Heavy snow of 12 to 24 inches, with isolated amounts up to 36 inches, is forecast for areas downwind of lakes Erie and Ontario. Behind the storm, lake effect snow will continue the next few days.

And in the northeast, icy roads are a major concern after a snowstorm Friday night into Saturday and freezing rain falling on the area Monday. A half inch of ice is expected to accumulate from Pennsylvania up to Maine, causing power outages and tree damage.

Also on Monday, 109 million people are under wind alerts across the country, mostly in the northeast, but also covering the midwest, Great Lakes and even parts of the southern plains. A pocket of rain will traverse the region and move east, ushering in strong winds Monday afternoon and evening.