A major snowstorm over the open Plains on Saturday will have comparatively tame impact as it barrels through the Great Lakes Sunday night and Monday. It will lay down a swath of significant snowfall that will affect Chicago and Detroit, among others.

As snow over Iowa ends Sunday evening, it will spread eastward from northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin into Lower Michigan and northern Indiana overnight. On Monday, the core of heaviest snow will shift out of eastern Michigan and over Ontario, Canada.

Much of the snow corridor will get a modest 1-3 inches with Chicago and Detroit included. However, from the Indiana-Michigan line northeastward into Ontario, there will be a belt having 3-6 inches of heavy, wet snow by Monday evening.

For most areas having snow, there will be at least some rain at the outset and the snow will stay wet through the storm. The snowfall will be less in most instances on pavements, which will tend to be slushy or even wet. Travel will be slowed.

Gusty winds to 30-40 mph will have limited drifting impact. In areas of heaviest snow, however, it could trigger power blackouts.

Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Jim Andrews.