Disruptive Winter Pattern Batters U.S.

Multiple storms trekking similar paths bring rain, snow, ice, and winds, and even hail to much of the nation this week and beyond. 

The first storm, a deep upper-level storm system, will revolve over the Northern Tier through the rest of the workweek. Though the upper-level system will mostly stall, part of its energy will shear off along a robust, stalling warm front draped across the Great Lakes and Northeast. The setup brings snow from the Canadian border to central New England, freezing rain and sleet across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula through central New York, and rain across the rest of the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic through this evening. 

The leading storm’s cold front and its trailing winds will clash with a regime of southerly winds today, leading to strong wind shifts and gusts across the Upper Midwest today under the low pressure system. Winds speeds reaching 20 to 35 mph will be common across the Upper Midwest, with local sustained winds reaching upwards of 40 mph possible at times. Gusts of 45 to 60 mph will travel across the Upper Midwest as well. 

Additionally, a second storm on its predecessor’s tail is breaking into the Mountain West, bringing a second burst of rain to the lowlands of the West Coast, Central Valley, and Southwest, with snow pelting the rest of the high West Coast ridgelines and the Mountain West. It too will swing a cold front with high winds and gusts through the Southwest today and the central Plains to Ohio Valley on Thursday, where this second system will intensify as it interacts with its stalled predecessor storm. 

High Wind Warnings and Wind Advisories cover many elevated areas across the Southwest, the Rocky Front Range, parts of the southern High Plains, and the northern Plains between Montana and far northwestern Illinois! Red Flag Warnings are also in effect for the southern High Plains and southeastern South Dakota into northern Illinois, where high winds and low humidity are creating dangerous wildfire conditions. 

Furthermore, even severe weather will join in on this secondary system’s parade across the nation, mainly on Thursday. The Storm Prediction Center has issued a Slight Risk (a 2 out of 5 risk-level for severe weather) north and along the Lower Ohio River Basin. Affected cities include Springfield, Ill., Indianapolis and Evansville, Ind., Louisville and Lexington, Ky., and Cincinnati. Damaging wind gusts, isolated large hail, and a few tornadoes are possible from any supercells or other severe thunderstorms that may form on Thursday afternoon. Remember, “When Thunder Roars, Stay Indoors!” 

A third storm system will intrude upon the West Coast on Thursday as well, continuing the pattern of rain and snow across the West Coast and Mountain West. Toward and into the weekend, this system will jump across the Southern Tier, corralling thunderstorms, rain, and snow along its path. This storm will transform into an offshore low this weekend, potentially bringing another round of wintry impacts to the Eastern Seaboard. 

By Friday morning, the West Coast to the Northeast and everywhere in between will have felt the impacts of this disruptive weather pattern. Walls of snow will continue to bury the Sierra Nevada, bringing an elevated threat for avalanches and completely closed travel routes, with additional snowpack of 2 to 3 feet or more possible!  

New snowfalls reaching 1 to 2 feet are possible across ridgelines such as the Coastal Range of Oregon and northern California, the South Cascades, the Klamath Mountains, the Wasatch Range, the Colorado Front Range, and the ridges shared by western Wyoming and eastern Idaho as well as far northeastern Minnesota by daybreak Friday. 

Additions of 6 to 12 inches will likely blanket the mid-elevations of the aforementioned ranges alongside central Nebraska and far northern North Dakota, while six inches of snow or less will pepper the North Cascades, the Blue Mountains, and much of the Intermountain West alongside the most of the central and northern Plains, the far northern Great Lakes, central New York and southern New England. 

Other than the snowfall, an alley of disruptive ice accumulations will likely form between parts of northern Wisconsin through areas of southern New England by Thursday morning, with locally significant accumulations possible in northern Michigan and western New York. 

Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings have been issued for most elevated areas across the Western U.S. as well as a corridor from northeastern Montana all the way to central Massachusetts. There are even a few Blizzard Warnings across northeastern Montana and far northeastern Minnesota! 

Snow combined with gusty winds will lead to difficult travel, including icy, snow-packed roads and near whiteout conditions. 

Be sure to download the WeatherBug app to stay up to date on the latest on this changing weather. It’s never too early to have a supply kit packed in case of inclement weather. A simple kit including a weather radio, water, blankets, batteries, and non-perishable food items will go a long way in the event of a power outage.