ERIE, Pa. – A new winter storm will sweep across the Great Lakes into the Northeast this week, bringing damaging winds and possible blizzard conditions in places still emerging from the feet of snow that has fallen in recent days.

The storm could even bring a few snowflakes along the Interstate 95 corridor.

The storm system, known colloquially as the “Alberta Clipper” due to its rapid pace and origin in the Canadian province of the same name, will initially bring strong winds and areas of snow to the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest on Wednesday.

The heaviest snowfall on Wednesday will again be caused by lake effects and shifted to the eastern shores of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. Winter storm watches and warnings are in effect for Michigan’s western snowbelt and the Upper Peninsula for new snow totals greater than a foot.

---

However, isolated snow squalls are possible across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes on Wednesday, with widespread wind gusts reaching speeds of 40 to 50 mph, bringing the threat of a blizzard or whiteout conditions.

---

The storm will shift heavy snow and strong wind gusts to the northeast on Thursday

The clipper system will move through the Northeast on Thursday, shifting heavy snowfall to the eastern shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

“This wind is coming directly from Canada and is pulling the cold air down harder – one of the reasons why so many people in the eastern part of the country are dealing with below-average temperatures,” says FOX weather meteorologist Ian Oliver. “This also keeps the lake effect snow machine running. So December starts with a bang.”

Winter Storm Watches and Lake Effect Snow Warnings are back in effect late Wednesday through Thursday night. An additional 7 to 12 inches of snow, with isolated larger amounts, is likely along the eastern shores of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. The 90 to 150 meters of lake snow that has accumulated in these areas has been dug out since Friday.

---

Heavy snow is also expected inland from New England to Maine due to moisture associated with the storm center moving over this area on Thursday.

Lighter but heavier snowfall is expected in the lower elevations of central New York and northern Pennsylvania.

While strong winds did not play a major role in the previous lake-effect storm, this time strong winds will blow across the Northeast as the strong low pressure center pushes over the region.

---

Widespread gusts of 40-50 mph are expected, creating blizzard-like conditions along lake-effect snowbelts. Wind Advisories covers 35 million people in the Northeast, including New York City and Philadelphia.

Will it snow along the I-95 corridor?

Depending on the timing of the storm on Thursday, it is possible that some areas along the I-95 corridor could see at least some wet snow or a rain/snow mix.

Neither New York, Philadelphia nor Boston have reported any measurable snow in the weather books so far this season.

---

Overall, this storm is not expected to bring large snow accumulations, but the strong winds could still cause sporadic power outages.