…A major winter storm will continue to bring widespread hazards through
Wednesday night, including damaging winds, blizzard conditions, severe
weather, and localized flash flooding…
…There is critical to extreme fire weather danger across much of the
Southern High Plains going through the middle part of the week…
…Much above normal temperatures across the Midwest will move into the
Eastern U.S. by midweek, with below normal temperatures over the West
gradually reaching the Plains…
…Pacific storm set to bring widespread valley rain and mountain snow
across California, the Great Basin, and the Intermountain West Wednesday
into Friday…
Widespread hazardous weather is expected across the central U.S. as a
deepening low pressure system continues its trek through the Central
Plains this afternoon and evening, across the Midwest by tonight, and
through the Great Lakes region Wednesday into Wednesday night. On the cold
side of the storm, a large swath of moderate to locally heavy snow will
result in accumulations of 6 to 12 inches from parts of Iowa to the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan. The rapid deepening of the low pressure system will
lead to very strong winds, with widespread gusts of 50 to 70 mph. The
strong winds combined with falling and blowing snow will lead to a vast
area of blizzard conditions. Given the potential for whiteouts and life
threatening travel conditions, blizzard warnings are in effect from
portions of Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota through
Wednesday.
Farther south on the warmer and drier side of this storm, much of the
Southern High Plains region including New Mexico, southeast Colorado,
southwest Kansas, and much of western Oklahoma and western Texas will have
critical to extreme fire weather conditions through midweek as the very
strong winds increase the threat for the development and spread of
wildfires. For additional details, refer to the the Fire Weather Outlook
from the Storm Prediction Center. On the warm and moist side of the storm
to the south and east, severe weather will be a major concern as strong
southerly winds bring Gulf moisture and instability northward. Combined
with the forcing from a strong cold front, the environment will be
favorable for strong to severe thunderstorms from the Lower Mississippi
Valley to the Central Gulf Coast to the Southeast and Tennessee Valley
through this evening and overnight. The Storm Prediction Center has
maintained a broad Enhanced Risk (level 3 of 5) for these areas given the
main threats of very strong to damaging winds, a few potentially strong
tornadoes, and at least some areas of large hail. Heavy rainfall will also
be a concern for areas of the Midwest southward into the Lower Mississippi
Valley/Mid-South region through this evening and there may be at least
isolated areas of flash flooding as a result. Given the above, the Weather
Prediction Center has maintained a Slight Risk (level 2 of 4) of excessive
rainfall for portions of these areas.
The focus and risk areas for severe thunderstorms and locally heavy
rainfall will shift to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast region on Wednesday
as the potent system continues tracking eastward. A broad Slight Risk
(level 2 of 5) of severe weather was maintained by the Storm Prediction
Center from Pennsylvania southward to northeastern Florida. Additionally,
the Storm Prediction Center depicted a new Enhanced Risk (level 3 of 5)
from southeast Virginia to eastern South Carolina. The strongest storms
will be capable of producing damaging wind gusts, hail, and even a couple
tornadoes. Fast storm motions will lead to less of a concern for flash
flooding, but localized issues stemming from heavy downpours can still
occur across portions of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
Meanwhile, a Pacific storm system will bring widespread valley rain and
high elevation snow to much of California, the Great Basin, and the
Intermountain West from Wednesday through Friday. Snow totals in excess of
1 to 2 feet will be possible across favored peaks in the Sierras and
Rockies.
Temperatures will be highly changeable going through the middle of the
week due to the storm, with much above normal temperatures over the
Midwest moving east into the Eastern U.S. through Wednesday as these areas
will generally be on the warm side of the rapidly approaching upstream
storm system. However, colder air and below normal temperatures that are
already generally situated over the West will then overspread the Plains
on the back side of the strong low center.
Miller/Campbell
Graphics available at
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php
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