The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Warning for parts of Northwest Indiana, including the cities of La Porte, Michigan City and South Bend.
The warning goes into effect at 9 p.m. Saturday and will last through 6 a.m. Sunday.
Exact snowfall totals may vary due to the nature of lake effect snow, but the National Weather Service is predicting totals between 3 and 7 inches.
Winds as high as 40 to 45 mph will cause blowing snow and possible white-out conditions at times.
The La Porte County Board of Commissioners declared a state of emergency due to the high number of traffic accidents during the snowstorm. A 7-year-old girl from Goshen, Indiana, died after a four-vehicle crash on a highway near Rolling Prairie, the La Porte County Sheriff's Office said. A number of deputies in the sheriff's office were also involved in crashes while en route to other accidents.
Wind chill temperatures could fall as low as -20 degrees overnight as the bitter cold sets in during the snowstorm.
A Winter Storm Warning has been in effect in Northwest Indiana since 9 a.m. Saturday and will end when the Blizzard Warning goes in effect.
