Gusty winds to deliver brief warm spell for Chicago, Minneapolis
By
Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Mar 29, 2021 12:42 PM EST
Damage from severe thunderstorm winds are actually more common than damage from tornadoes and yet, winds are not talked about as much.
Strong winds will advance across the Plains and Midwest into Monday night, increasing the risk of wildfires and power outages. These winds will bring warmer and dry weather to the region, but this warmup will be short-lived as cooler air is expected to move in quickly on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Several cities across the region, such as Fargo, North Dakota; Omaha, Nebraska; Chicago; and Kansas City, Missouri; are expected to experience this quick warmup before temperatures drop below normal again.
For a few cities, like Minneapolis, this will be the highest temperature so far in 2021.
Minneapolis is forecast to reach a high of 70 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, which is over 20 degrees above the normal high temperature of 48 degrees. This level of heat is more common during the middle of May, and Minneapolis hasn't had temperatures in the 70s since early November of 2020.
Instead of the normal high temperatures in the lower 50s for this time of year, Chicago is also expected to hit a significantly higher number on Monday. With a forecast high of 65 degrees, the city is also anticipated to stay in the lower 60s on Tuesday.
Two different weather systems will be responsible for the considerable warmup in this region of the country.
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"A powerful high pressure will hold over the Plains and Tennessee Valley, allowing a surge of warm air to stream into the northern Plains and Upper Midwest early this week," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Courtney Travis.
Strong sunshine in a mainly cloudless sky will help these areas to warm up Monday, with temperatures reaching late-spring levels.
At the same time, a potent storm tracking across the northwestern United States, bringing gusty winds and snow, will make its way into the Plains and Midwest. As the storm moves eastward, it will help to create a strong southerly wind across the Plains into Monday night.
Widespread wind gusts of 40-50 mph are expected from the leeward side of the Rockies from Montana through Wyoming to the northern Plains and western parts of the Midwest, peaking Monday into Monday night.
Higher wind gusts of 50-60 mph are anticipated across eastern Montana, the western Dakotas, southern Wyoming and eastern Kansas. The far northern Plains and eastern Kansas are the most likely areas to reach the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 80 mph.
In addition to assisting with the warmup, these winds could also adversely impact travel.
"Dangerous crosswinds could make driving on highways more difficult Monday and Monday night, especially for high-profile vehicles," Travis warned.
Farther south, blowing dust could also be an issue in parts of Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Kansas.
Portions of interstates 25, 29, 35, 39, 70, 76, 80, 90 and 94 are all major highways that can be impacted, and motorists should especially take care on bridges and near canyons.
The combination of wind, warmth, sunshine, dry weather and vast amounts of still largely dry vegetation leftover from winter will also lead to a high fire threat across much of the Plains on Monday. Any brushfires can spread very quickly amid the strong winds.
A brushfire broke out late Monday morning near Rapid City, South Dakota, and began spreading quickly, prompting evacuations in nearby subdivisions according to Penn County Emergency Management. The fire is named the Schroeder Fire, according to the South Dakota Wildland Fire Division.
AccuWeather forecasters say the risk of strong winds and dry weather to fuel fires such as this one will persist through Tuesday.
"Unfortunately, the gusty winds will likely only get stronger Monday afternoon after a cold front moves through the area, further exacerbating the fire threat," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rossio said. "The wind may become a little lighter for a time tonight, but they will quickly strengthen again Tuesday, bringing another windy, dry day creating favorable conditions for a spreading fire.
High wind advisories and warnings along with red flag warnings for a high fire danger are in place across much of the central US. Check local watches and warnings at the AccuWeather Severe Weather Center
The same cold front pushing through Rapid City on Monday will continue slicing through the Plains early this week, bringing quite a temperature contrast to the region.
Regional temperatures are anticipated to dip 15-25 degrees in 24 hours and up to 35 degrees overall. High temperatures in Minneapolis will drop below normal to 42 degrees on Tuesday then 36 degrees on Wednesday. A high in the mid-30s would've been more fitting in early March. Similarly, Chicago will make a dramatic dive from 61 degrees on Tuesday to 45 degrees on Wednesday, which is 8 degrees below normal there.
The topsy-turvy temperatures are expected in this region through the rest of the week. Warmer conditions are likely to return for the first few days of April.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
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News / Weather Forecasts
Gusty winds to deliver brief warm spell for Chicago, Minneapolis
By Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Mar 29, 2021 12:42 PM EST
Damage from severe thunderstorm winds are actually more common than damage from tornadoes and yet, winds are not talked about as much.
Strong winds will advance across the Plains and Midwest into Monday night, increasing the risk of wildfires and power outages. These winds will bring warmer and dry weather to the region, but this warmup will be short-lived as cooler air is expected to move in quickly on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Several cities across the region, such as Fargo, North Dakota; Omaha, Nebraska; Chicago; and Kansas City, Missouri; are expected to experience this quick warmup before temperatures drop below normal again.
For a few cities, like Minneapolis, this will be the highest temperature so far in 2021.
Minneapolis is forecast to reach a high of 70 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday, which is over 20 degrees above the normal high temperature of 48 degrees. This level of heat is more common during the middle of May, and Minneapolis hasn't had temperatures in the 70s since early November of 2020.
Instead of the normal high temperatures in the lower 50s for this time of year, Chicago is also expected to hit a significantly higher number on Monday. With a forecast high of 65 degrees, the city is also anticipated to stay in the lower 60s on Tuesday.
Two different weather systems will be responsible for the considerable warmup in this region of the country.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"A powerful high pressure will hold over the Plains and Tennessee Valley, allowing a surge of warm air to stream into the northern Plains and Upper Midwest early this week," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Courtney Travis.
Strong sunshine in a mainly cloudless sky will help these areas to warm up Monday, with temperatures reaching late-spring levels.
At the same time, a potent storm tracking across the northwestern United States, bringing gusty winds and snow, will make its way into the Plains and Midwest. As the storm moves eastward, it will help to create a strong southerly wind across the Plains into Monday night.
Widespread wind gusts of 40-50 mph are expected from the leeward side of the Rockies from Montana through Wyoming to the northern Plains and western parts of the Midwest, peaking Monday into Monday night.
Higher wind gusts of 50-60 mph are anticipated across eastern Montana, the western Dakotas, southern Wyoming and eastern Kansas. The far northern Plains and eastern Kansas are the most likely areas to reach the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 80 mph.
In addition to assisting with the warmup, these winds could also adversely impact travel.
Related:
"Dangerous crosswinds could make driving on highways more difficult Monday and Monday night, especially for high-profile vehicles," Travis warned.
Farther south, blowing dust could also be an issue in parts of Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Kansas.
Portions of interstates 25, 29, 35, 39, 70, 76, 80, 90 and 94 are all major highways that can be impacted, and motorists should especially take care on bridges and near canyons.
The combination of wind, warmth, sunshine, dry weather and vast amounts of still largely dry vegetation leftover from winter will also lead to a high fire threat across much of the Plains on Monday. Any brushfires can spread very quickly amid the strong winds.
A brushfire broke out late Monday morning near Rapid City, South Dakota, and began spreading quickly, prompting evacuations in nearby subdivisions according to Penn County Emergency Management. The fire is named the Schroeder Fire, according to the South Dakota Wildland Fire Division.
AccuWeather forecasters say the risk of strong winds and dry weather to fuel fires such as this one will persist through Tuesday.
"Unfortunately, the gusty winds will likely only get stronger Monday afternoon after a cold front moves through the area, further exacerbating the fire threat," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rossio said. "The wind may become a little lighter for a time tonight, but they will quickly strengthen again Tuesday, bringing another windy, dry day creating favorable conditions for a spreading fire.
High wind advisories and warnings along with red flag warnings for a high fire danger are in place across much of the central US. Check local watches and warnings at the AccuWeather Severe Weather Center
The same cold front pushing through Rapid City on Monday will continue slicing through the Plains early this week, bringing quite a temperature contrast to the region.
Regional temperatures are anticipated to dip 15-25 degrees in 24 hours and up to 35 degrees overall. High temperatures in Minneapolis will drop below normal to 42 degrees on Tuesday then 36 degrees on Wednesday. A high in the mid-30s would've been more fitting in early March. Similarly, Chicago will make a dramatic dive from 61 degrees on Tuesday to 45 degrees on Wednesday, which is 8 degrees below normal there.
The topsy-turvy temperatures are expected in this region through the rest of the week. Warmer conditions are likely to return for the first few days of April.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo