THEWEATHERMOGIL:: Welcome to spring and some spring snowstorms!
It’s only a couple of days into spring and the big weather news involves SNOW. In fact, we are talking about a lot of snow.
Wisconsin is bracing for a foot of snow or more across central and eastern sections between now and Thursday. The northeast corner of Colorado (including the Denver metro area) is on tap for about a foot of wind-driven snowfall. Blizzard warnings have been posted here, as well as in nearby areas of Nebraska and Wyoming (Fig.1). Look for some major airport and highway travel delays in these areas.
The culprit behind this “out of whack” weather is a low-pressure system that has formed over the western High Plains (Fig. 2) and is expected to move to near Detroit by late Thursday. To the north of the system, heavy snow and gusty winds will be the rule. To the south of the system gusty, warm and dry winds will lead to a high fire danger across the southern High Plains. Then, to the east, with more abundant Gulf of Mexico moisture, showers and thunderstorms will begin to develop later today. According to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center, some storms may reach severe limits today from Missouri southward to eastern Texas and tomorrow across parts of Tennessee and Alabama.
Behind this storm system, another low is expected to head southeastward and spread a swath of snow across parts of the northern Plains later this week. If that’s not enough “Spring” weather, yet another storm is expected to affect Colorado by the middle of next week.
In the wake of each of these storm systems, chilly air will spread southward.
So, if you live in a region that includes the Intermountain West, the central Plains and the Great Lakes, think Spring, but expect Winter!
© 2016 H. Michael Mogil
Originally posted 3/23/16