Explosive mid-March storm to impact 200 million in US, feature Midwest blizzard
A rapidly strengthening storm could evolve into a bomb cyclone, unleashing blizzard conditions in the Midwest and severe thunderstorms, flooding rain and damaging winds in much of the central and eastern United States.
AccuWeather’s Bernie Rayno warns of severe weather continuing this weekend for the Midwest from the risk of hail, high winds and flash flooding to extreme cold and snow for the North Central states.
A powerful storm will rapidly intensify and expand across the central United States from Sunday into Monday, bringing widespread disruptions for millions. Blizzard conditions and high winds are expected in parts of the Upper Midwest, while strong thunderstorms, heavy rain and gusty winds affect areas farther south and east.
The storm will rank among the top impactful U.S. weather events of the year so far.
At some point during the storm’s evolution, its wind, rain, thunderstorms, snow or cold air could impact areas home to nearly 200 million people across the central and eastern United States.
“The storm from Sunday into Monday has the potential to become a bomb cyclone, which occurs when central pressure drops at least 0.71 inches of mercury (24 millibars) in 24 hours or less,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. “That rapid strengthening would generate an expansive and intense wind field.”
“The system will draw in significant Pacific moisture then tap Gulf and Atlantic moisture as it advances across the Central and Northeastern states,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Benz added.
The storm's expansive winds may affect dozens of states. Power outages could reach the tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands, coming just days after a powerful windstorm swept from the Rockies to the Northeast.
Flight delays and cancellations from Sunday through Monday night could climb into the thousands. Major hubs, including Denver, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Charlotte, may be affected, along with numerous connecting airports in between.
Schools in parts of the Midwest that are not on spring break may close early next week as the storm moves through. Those returning from spring break could face significant travel disruptions.
Blizzard may unfold with whiteouts, heavy snow
“Travel is likely to be especially hazardous Monday, as snow, strong winds and bitter cold combine to produce blizzard conditions across northern portions of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes region,” Rayno said. "Actual temperatures may be no better than the teens and single digits in much of this area with AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures near or below zero for a time."
Blizzard conditions are possible in portions of Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, northern Illinois and southeastern Minnesota.
A powerful cold front with Arctic air in its wake will advance eastward through the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee valleys on Sunday and Sunday night, reaching the Appalachians and the Atlantic Seaboard on Monday and Monday night.
Temperatures will surge to April- and May-like levels ahead of the front on south to southeast breezes. As moisture is added from the Gulf and Atlantic areas, showers will break out ahead of the front from Sunday to Monday, near the Gulf and farther to the east.
Severe thunderstorms to erupt along storm's Arctic front
A squall line of thunderstorms, some of which may be severe with damaging winds, torrential downpours and hail, is expected along the Arctic front as it advances eastward from Sunday into Monday. The front may bring poor visibility, highway ponding and airport ground stops.
The scope and intensity of severe thunderstorms may increase as AccuWeather meteorologists analyze data and monitor the severe weather threat.
Potent clipper storm, cold waves preceding upcoming bomb cyclone
The effects of the storm from Saturday night to Monday night will be preceded by a potent clipper storm that will travel along the northern tier of the Midwest and Northeast into Friday night. That storm will pack a punch with heavy snow and even blizzard conditions across the northern tier, along with far-reaching strong winds from the Rockies to the Atlantic coast.
Tens of millions of people in the East woke up Thursday morning to temperatures 25–50 degrees colder than those recorded Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, as the first front erased the May-like warmth. Up to a few inches of wet snow covered non-paved surfaces in parts of the mid-Atlantic and southern New England states on Thursday afternoon and evening.
A second front will slice southeastward in the wake of the clipper storm and will briefly knock down temperatures once again in the Midwest and Northeast. However, its effects will be short-term and overridden by the upcoming massive storm from later this weekend to next week.
Arctic air will sweep through much of the Plains and Mississippi Valley from late Sunday into Sunday night, reaching the Appalachians later Monday behind the storm’s cold front.
The cold air may lose some of its impact east of the Appalachians, but many areas along the Atlantic Seaboard will still feel some of the lowest temperatures in weeks from Tuesday to Thursday.
Want heat? Head to the Southwest
While the massive Midwest storm triggers a renewed blast of winter across the central and eastern United States next week, record warmth will continue building across the Southwest following much of the region’s warmest winters on record.
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