A snow storm is set to blast the upper Midwest and northern Great Plains late Thursday into Friday. See the forecast.

KSL meteorologist Matt Johnson explained the Christmas storm was too warm for valley snow in some parts of the state, which models indicated could happen. More importantly, it pushed out the high-pressure ridge over the state, opening the door for more precipitation this week.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning at 10:28 p.m. on Wednesday in effect until Thursday at 10 p.m. for East Slopes of the Oregon Cascades.

MINNEAPOLIS — Snow is piling up across Minnesota as the biggest storm of the winter season so far drags across the state. A winter storm warning is in effect for a swath of the state stretching from the North Dakota border near Fargo down to Rochester in southern Minnesota. That includes the Twin Cities.

The wintry weather comes as a storm moves eastward from the middle Mississippi and Ohio Valleys to the East Coast Thursday, the service reported. The storm has prompted both winter weather warnings and advisories in several Wisconsin counties including Waushara, Manitowoc, Door and Kewaunee.

Winter storm warnings cover different parts of Utah, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming and Idaho, hugely affecting travel.

It won't be a White Christmas for the Puget Sound region immediately surrounding Seattle, but the Cascades will see plenty of snow over Wednesday and Thursday. Snow levels drop to 3,000 feet, which could make driving and holiday travel across mountain passes difficult.