Pressure falls to 976 mb as the low pressure area intensified 

The storm system responsible for some severe weather in Mississippi and across parts of the South, produced one of the most intense winter storms in recent memory across parts of the Midwest and the Great Lakes States!

In a matter of fact, data indicates this storm was as strong as a category 2 hurricane with a minimum central pressure of 976 millibars.

(Note: The lower the central pressure the more intense the storm)

Hurricane Ida, which peaked as a Category 2 hurricane in the Caribbean in early November recorded a minimum central pressure of 976 millibars as well.

The blizzard developed as the low pressure rapidly deepened or intensified (what we meteorologists call a "bomb") as it moved across Illinois into Lake Michigan.  Strong winds in response to the deepening low created blowing snow and near blizzard conditions late Tuesday night into the day on Wednesday across Eastern Nebraska, Iowa, Southern Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northwestern Illinois and Upper and Western Michigan with 12 to 17 inches of snowfall recorded.

At least 17 deaths have been blamed on this major storm that stretched across the Midwest and New England.

Hardest hit areas: Wisconsin & Iowa

The National Weather Service in Wisconsin calls it one of the biggest winter storms in years with widespread snowfalls of 8 to 16 inches with high wind gusts from 30 to over 50 mph!  The 14.7 inches of snowfall in Green Bay places this storm in the top 6 biggest snowstorms in Green Bay weather history (observations since 1886), and is the biggest December snowstorm ever!

State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says Iowa hasn’t received this much snow from one storm, covering such a big chunk of the state, since the 1970s!  This was the second largest snowfall for the capital city of Iowa (Des Moines) for the month of December with 14.5 inches recorded!

(University of Iowa -blizzard conditions on Wednesday)