Major Snowstorm Hitting the Southern Plains
A major snowstorm moving east across the southern Plains has already been blamed for causing hundreds of accidents in the Rockies and the southern Plains. Heavy snow falling over the southern Plains will cause more dangerous travel through this weekend, which happens to be the first weekend of spring.
The heaviest snow will come down from central Oklahoma to eastern Kansas and central Missouri today and tonight.
Around a foot or more of snow will bury some communities in northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas.
Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Kansas City will be in the heart of the snowstorm. All of these cities are expected to receive 4-8 inches of snow.
Light to moderate snow will be falling over a larger swath from West Texas to central lower Michigan.
Chicago will get an inch or two of snow. Some snow will mix in St. Louis by Sunday, but little to no accumulation is expected.
Winds gusting past 30 mph will also create blowing and drifting of snow in the areas receiving the heaviest snow. Blowing snow will not only reduce the visibility to a quarter of a mile at times, but the drifting will also make it harder for crews to keep the roads clear.
Motorists will encounter dangerous travel along Interstates 35 40, 70 and 80.
Airline passengers will also run into delays and cancellations.
Around 2 feet of snow piled up over some of the mountains of Colorado, while a foot blanketed some communities located along the Front Range. Portions of Interstate 25 were closed on Friday due to poor travel conditions and several accidents.
Numerous accidents occurred along I-40 near Amarillo, Texas, on Friday night where snow and blowing snow were creating poor visibility and slippery roadway conditions. Stretches of I-35 were also dangerous with many accidents occurring near Osceola, Iowa.
On top of the March snow, plummeting temperatures may shock residents in the southern Plains. After reaching 68 degrees on Friday in Oklahoma City, the high will only be in the 30s today.
Gusty winds behind the storm will contribute to even colder AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures.
Facebook fans can share photos of this storm and other interesting weather phenomena at www.facebook/AccuWeather.
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 82° | Gila Bend, AZ |
| Low | -13° | Clayton Lake, ME |
| Precip | 1.24" | Spanish Fork, UT |
WeatherWhys®
The "Dead of Winter," the one-month period when normal temperatures reach their lowest levels, has come to an end for much of the United States. Some people may find it odd that the "Dead of Winter" does not encompass the darkest day of the year (the first day of winter). That is due to a seasonal lag in temperatures. More heat continues to be lost than is gained from the start of winter until this time of year.
This Day In Weather History
Savannah, GA (1899)
(12th-13th) 2 in. snowfall, one of 3 snowstorms in past 200 years that re- quired a ruler measurement.
Lake Placid, NY (1980)
Finally some snow. Just in time for the opening ceremonies at the Olympic town.
Rough Weather
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