Our storm chasing friend Mike Mezeul needs your help! He's on a mission to make it to the North Pole through Quark Expedition's Blog Your Way to the North Pole competition. Mike says,

 "The North Pole is a land of mystery. As a journalist, I want to document exactly what it takes for one human being to reach 90°N. I want to create a visual story through my photography, not leaving out a single detail of my travels. From leaving my comfortable apartment, to boarding an international flight and ending upon a powerful icebreaker in Russia…my eyes will be your eyes. Every breathtaking moment will be shared with you. My emotions, my passion, my life for 10 days will be shared with you, not a moment missed."

Helping Mike achieve his dream is easy -- just follow this link and vote. He's currently in the lead, and once that is secured, we can all live vicariously through the photos he'll bring to us.

Speaking of frosty, frozen weather, the northeast is still gearing up for what could be a significant winter storm. The western Great Lakes into the Appalachian region will be impacted, and can expect all forms of winter weather, from extreme cold in eastern MN and western WI to freezing rain in the mid-Appalachian region. Right now it looks like areas immediately downwind of the Great Lakes can expect significant snowfall (Reed and Chris will be deployed in western Michigan for the intense Lake-effect in that area), while farther to the south and east, residents will have to wait and see when their below-freezing temperatures will materialize. Parts of southwestern PA into northern West Virginia could see some freezing rain accumulations early Sunday, followed by fairly heavy snow, depending on the track of the low to the northwest. We'll continue to monitor the conditions and report back with updates!