Denver, Tulsa, Kansas City & Madison in Line for Snow
Mild air funneled across the Rockies, Plains and Great Lakes on Wednesday, but winter is set to make a comeback. Disruptive snow will soon plague these regions, including some places where rivers remain out of their banks.
Any accumulating snow today will be confined to the northern Rocky Mountains. Tonight is when the snow will spread to the Front Range of the central Rockies and into the central Plains.
The snow will encompass more of the central Plains on Friday, as well as drop southward through the Front Range. Friday night into Saturday, the snow will stretch from the Texas Panhandle and Oklahoma to Michigan.
The snow will accumulate around 6 inches in Cheyenne and Denver. Between 3 and 6 inches will whiten Tulsa, Kansas City, Cedar Rapids and Madison through Saturday night. Do not be fooled when rain starts to fall. A changeover to snow will soon follow.
Gusty northerly winds will worsen the situation by whipping the snow around and reducing visibility.
Travel along Interstates 25, 44, 70, 76 and 80 will become slow and slippery. Parents should plan for Friday's snow to cause school cancellations or early dismissals.
Airline passengers will likely experience lengthy flight delays and potential cancellations. The resultant ripple effect threatens to impact travelers at other airports across the nation.
Chicago will lie in the path of the snow this weekend. Residents will be forced to use their snow shovels and brushes as up to a few inches will accumulate.
The snow may shift towards the St. Lawrence Valley Sunday into Monday. It should be noted that this track is far from certain. The snow could shift more to the east.
The upcoming disruptive snow may be hard to believe with temperatures generally soaring into the 60s from the central Plains to the lower Great Lakes today. Invading cold air will have this area enduring highs in the 30s and 40s at some point from Friday into the weekend.
While the snow could disrupt travel and daily routines, there is one benefit to the cold blast. The rate of snow melt will slow across the flood-ravaged northern and central Plains and part of the Midwest.
More Weather News
-
Everest Death Toll 4 from Weekend Rush
May 23, 2012; 5:10 AM ET
Another Everest climber was found dead this morning, bringing the weekend death toll to four, with one climber still missing.
-
Still Rebuilding One Year After The Joplin, Mo., Tornado
May 23, 2012; 5:08 AM ET
Just one year ago, Joplin, Mo., was struck by a devastating mile-wide EF-5 tornado on May 22, 2011.
-
East Daily Downpours This Week
May 23, 2012; 5:05 AM ET
A stalled weather pattern will bring a daily dose of disruptive downpours from portions of the Carolinas to New England.
-
Bud Forms in the Eastern Pacific
May 23, 2012; 5:03 AM ET
The second tropical storm of the 2012 Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season has formed.
-
Pre-Season Tropical Storms Rare, But Not Unheard Of
May 23, 2012; 5:01 AM ET
Tropical Storm Alberto is only the third tropical storm to have formed prior to the official start of hurricane season in the past 31 years.
-
Record Flood on Amazon Tributary
May 23, 2012; 5:00 AM ET
The largest Amazon River tributary has marked its highest historical level following weeks of heavy rain in its catch basin, the AP has said.
-
Sanvu to Become First Pacific Typhoon in 2012
May 23, 2012; 4:58 AM ET
Sanvu, only the second western north Pacific tropical storm of 2012, is on track to become the first typhoon of the year.
-
Memorial Day Weekend Heat Wave
May 23, 2012; 4:55 AM ET
Break out the fans and air conditioners and get the pools ready as a heat wave is poised for portions of the Midwest and mid-Atlantic this Memorial Day weekend.
-
Breathtaking Video of Switzerland Landslide
May 23, 2012; 4:50 AM ET
A landslide has collapsed part of a steep mountainside in Switzerland.
-
Northern Italy Hit by Magnitude 6.0 Earthquake
May 23, 2012; 4:48 AM ET
The earthquake could be felt as far away as Milan and Venice.
Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 113° | Death Valley, CA |
| Low | 30° | Bellemont, AZ |
| Precip | 9.70" | Miami, FL |
WeatherWhys®
A large, horrific tornado struck the city of Joplin, Mo., last year on this date. The twister cut a deadly path across the south side of the city, leaving over 159 dead and at least 1,150 injured. The Joplin tornado currently ranks as the 7th deadliest tornado in U.S. history.
This Day In Weather History
New Hampshire (1814)
A tornado crossed Merrimac, Litchfield, Londonderry and North Chester. The same storm produced hailstones that had an 11-inch circumference and weighed 1/2 pound.
Northeast (1989)
More rain in an already wet month. Monthly totals topped 11 inches at New York City, 9 inches at Bridgeport, Conn., and 8 inches at Baltimore (all three totals set records for May).
Rough Weather
Comments
Comments left here should adhere to the AccuWeather.com Community Guidelines. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.