Late-week storm to wallop central US with snow and gusty winds
By
Renee Duff, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Oct 20, 2020 9:56 AM EST
In true fall fashion, a late-week storm will unleash a variety of disruptive weather across the Central states, including more snow for the northern tier and the threat for feisty thunderstorms farther south where Old Man Winter paid an early visit mere days prior.
Multi-faceted storms, such as the one AccuWeather meteorologists are predicting to form and sweep through the nation's midsection into Friday, are not uncommon during the fall months. October and November can feature frequent and wild weather swings as summer and winter battle it out.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"This next system will be the type of storm that we often see in autumn and spring. There will be a surge of warm, moist air northward into the central Plains and Midwest and a press of cold air across the northern Plains," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Mike Doll.
"There will be a risk for gusty thunderstorms in the warm portion of the storm and heavy snow in the cold portion, with a chilly, soaking rain in between," Doll said.
Snow to clog roads from Montana to Minnesota
The northern and western fringes of the storm, where Arctic air from Canada will come into play, is where forecasters are expecting a travel-disrupting snow to fall.
A swath of more than 6 inches of snowfall is likely, with these high totals most likely across the northern Rockies, as well as in a corridor from the Dakotas into northern Minnesota.
Sections of interstates 15, 29 and 94 may be at greatest risk for hazardous travel conditions due to snow-covered roadways and reduced visibility. Drivers may want to consider a more southern route if possible to avoid the wintry travel.
"Given how cold it's been, most of the snow will accumulate on the roads and make them slippery if untreated," Doll said.
Snow began Wednesday night across Montana and Wyoming, and the Dakotas and central Minnesota. Snow will continue into Thursday night over the Dakotas and northern Minnesota.
Just to the south of the zone of heaviest snowfall, a narrow corridor of a wintry mix can occur.
Some places in the Midwest that received heavy snowfall earlier in the week will be on the rainy side of this storm.
For example, residents of Minneapolis can expect a chilly, soaking rain on Thursday, following a record-setting 7.9 inches of snow on Tuesday. But, the swath of snow and wintry mix may not be too far away from the Twin Cities and part of the metro area could receive wintry precipitation from the storm, especially if precipitation arrives early on Thursday.
Feisty thunderstorms may rumble over central Plains
Warm, humid air surging northward along the southeastern side of the storm may set the stage for heavy, gusty thunderstorms to develop late Thursday into Thursday night from portions of Iowa to Kansas and Oklahoma.
"The August derecho is fresh in the minds of Iowans, but the intensity of any thunderstorms in the state late Thursday and Thursday night will not come close to matching that event," Doll said.
The factors for the most potent thunderstorms may not come together over the Midwest and could be spent over colder air zones, according to AccuWeather meteorologists.
In this case, there would likely be a period of drenching rainfall, but little to no severe weather.
The risk of heavy, gusty and isolated severe storms will extend from part of northwestern Texas to southern Wisconsin and perhaps southwestern Michigan into Thursday evening.
"However, even without thunderstorms, there could be wind gusts of 40-50 mph in the Midwest and western Great Lakes, including Chicago," AccuWeather Meteorologist Jake Sojda said.
An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ wind gust of 60 mph is forecast in the Midwest, and forecasters say winds this high could be measured both within and outside of thunderstorms in the area. Winds this strong could cause power outages, knock over trees and lead to minor property damage.
Temperature whiplash behind storm
Highs from Thursday to Friday can plunge by 35 degrees Fahrenheit as cold air rushes in behind the storm.
Des Moines, Iowa, will experience a drop from the middle 70s on Thursday, to the lower 40s on Friday. Kansas City, Missouri, and Oklahoma City will be in the 80s on Thursday, but may only have highs around 50 at the end of the week.
The cooldown will not be quite as drastic farther east, but will still be noticeable for a place like Chicago, where 70s will be traded for 50s.
The core of the cold is expected to set up over Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas, where highs will struggle to leave the 20s and 30s late this week. Low temperature records may be shattered in the winterlike air as thermometers bottom out in the teens and single digits.
Forecasters are monitoring an even bigger blast of frigid air with snow across the Rockies and central United States this weekend.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Severe Weather
Late-week storm to wallop central US with snow and gusty winds
By Renee Duff, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Oct 20, 2020 9:56 AM EST
In true fall fashion, a late-week storm will unleash a variety of disruptive weather across the Central states, including more snow for the northern tier and the threat for feisty thunderstorms farther south where Old Man Winter paid an early visit mere days prior.
Multi-faceted storms, such as the one AccuWeather meteorologists are predicting to form and sweep through the nation's midsection into Friday, are not uncommon during the fall months. October and November can feature frequent and wild weather swings as summer and winter battle it out.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"This next system will be the type of storm that we often see in autumn and spring. There will be a surge of warm, moist air northward into the central Plains and Midwest and a press of cold air across the northern Plains," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Mike Doll.
"There will be a risk for gusty thunderstorms in the warm portion of the storm and heavy snow in the cold portion, with a chilly, soaking rain in between," Doll said.
Snow to clog roads from Montana to Minnesota
The northern and western fringes of the storm, where Arctic air from Canada will come into play, is where forecasters are expecting a travel-disrupting snow to fall.
A swath of more than 6 inches of snowfall is likely, with these high totals most likely across the northern Rockies, as well as in a corridor from the Dakotas into northern Minnesota.
Sections of interstates 15, 29 and 94 may be at greatest risk for hazardous travel conditions due to snow-covered roadways and reduced visibility. Drivers may want to consider a more southern route if possible to avoid the wintry travel.
"Given how cold it's been, most of the snow will accumulate on the roads and make them slippery if untreated," Doll said.
Snow began Wednesday night across Montana and Wyoming, and the Dakotas and central Minnesota. Snow will continue into Thursday night over the Dakotas and northern Minnesota.
Just to the south of the zone of heaviest snowfall, a narrow corridor of a wintry mix can occur.
Some places in the Midwest that received heavy snowfall earlier in the week will be on the rainy side of this storm.
For example, residents of Minneapolis can expect a chilly, soaking rain on Thursday, following a record-setting 7.9 inches of snow on Tuesday. But, the swath of snow and wintry mix may not be too far away from the Twin Cities and part of the metro area could receive wintry precipitation from the storm, especially if precipitation arrives early on Thursday.
Feisty thunderstorms may rumble over central Plains
Warm, humid air surging northward along the southeastern side of the storm may set the stage for heavy, gusty thunderstorms to develop late Thursday into Thursday night from portions of Iowa to Kansas and Oklahoma.
"The August derecho is fresh in the minds of Iowans, but the intensity of any thunderstorms in the state late Thursday and Thursday night will not come close to matching that event," Doll said.
The factors for the most potent thunderstorms may not come together over the Midwest and could be spent over colder air zones, according to AccuWeather meteorologists.
In this case, there would likely be a period of drenching rainfall, but little to no severe weather.
The risk of heavy, gusty and isolated severe storms will extend from part of northwestern Texas to southern Wisconsin and perhaps southwestern Michigan into Thursday evening.
"However, even without thunderstorms, there could be wind gusts of 40-50 mph in the Midwest and western Great Lakes, including Chicago," AccuWeather Meteorologist Jake Sojda said.
An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ wind gust of 60 mph is forecast in the Midwest, and forecasters say winds this high could be measured both within and outside of thunderstorms in the area. Winds this strong could cause power outages, knock over trees and lead to minor property damage.
Related:
Temperature whiplash behind storm
Highs from Thursday to Friday can plunge by 35 degrees Fahrenheit as cold air rushes in behind the storm.
Des Moines, Iowa, will experience a drop from the middle 70s on Thursday, to the lower 40s on Friday. Kansas City, Missouri, and Oklahoma City will be in the 80s on Thursday, but may only have highs around 50 at the end of the week.
The cooldown will not be quite as drastic farther east, but will still be noticeable for a place like Chicago, where 70s will be traded for 50s.
The core of the cold is expected to set up over Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas, where highs will struggle to leave the 20s and 30s late this week. Low temperature records may be shattered in the winterlike air as thermometers bottom out in the teens and single digits.
Forecasters are monitoring an even bigger blast of frigid air with snow across the Rockies and central United States this weekend.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo