Detroit bracing for potentially biggest snowstorm of the year
By
Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Feb 23, 2020 1:16 PM EDT
Low visibility and heavy snow prompted officials to close Interstate 70 eastbound in Vail, Colorado, on Feb. 24.
Detroit is on alert for what could be the city's single biggest snowfall of the year this week as multiple storm systems are set to combine and drop heavy snow across a portion of the Midwest. Following the snowstorm, a blast of Arctic air will rush in from the North.
One storm system brought welcome rain and snow across the Southwest and Front Range over the weekend, while the other storm brought valley rain and heavy mountain snow to the Northwest.
The storm system tracking out of the Southwest already spread a swath of rain from the central Plains to the Ohio Valley during Monday morning. Aside from a thin corridor along the northern fringes of the storm system where a few snowflakes may mix in, most precipitation will fall as rain.
At the same time, the storm system that brought heavy snow to the Northwest this weekend has spread snow over the northern Plains, including Bismarck, North Dakota, on Monday.
Winter storm watches were in effect Tuesday for parts of northern Illinois, northern Indiana, southern Michigan and northwestern Ohio. Chicago was removed from the watch area, but Detroit and Toledo were both included.
The two storm systems have remained distinctly separate through Monday night across the Plains and Midwest, but they are likely to join forces and take aim at the Midwest during the day on Tuesday.
Combined, they will draw colder air southward and increase the threat for more substantial snowfall.
The degree to which these storms phase together will play a major role in determining how much snow could fall across the Midwest from Tuesday through Thursday.
The northern storm system tracking out of the Northwest will help to bring a reinforcing shot of cold air and an injection of additional moisture from the Pacific Ocean.
As these storm systems interact throughout the day on Tuesday and into Tuesday night, the coverage and intensity of snowfall is likely to increase across the Midwest.
The most likely areas for accumulating snow beginning during the early morning hours on Tuesday will hone in around central Illinois. The wintry mess will slowly track eastward later Tuesday, Tuesday night and Wednesday.
Places like Gary, Indiana; Peoria, Illinois; and London, Ontario, could all be the on the receiving end of the heaviest snow.
Residents in the region, especially in Detroit, will need to closely monitor the forecast heading into midweek as heavy snow will likely fall across the metro area.
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In Detroit, heavy snow is expected to fall all across the metro area. Back on Nov. 11 and 12, a storm brought 9.2 inches of snow to Detroit Metro Airport. The storm coming Tuesday night might not quite add up to that amount but snowfall totals in excess of 6 inches are expected.
By Thursday, much of the snow will clear out of the Midwest and western Great Lakes.
"Even after the storm is over, another wave of Arctic air will follow and generate lake-effect snow as it rushes across the Great Lakes," added Travis.
Accumulating snow downwind of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior may linger as late as Saturday before tapering off.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Winter Weather
Detroit bracing for potentially biggest snowstorm of the year
By Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Feb 23, 2020 1:16 PM EDT
Low visibility and heavy snow prompted officials to close Interstate 70 eastbound in Vail, Colorado, on Feb. 24.
Detroit is on alert for what could be the city's single biggest snowfall of the year this week as multiple storm systems are set to combine and drop heavy snow across a portion of the Midwest. Following the snowstorm, a blast of Arctic air will rush in from the North.
One storm system brought welcome rain and snow across the Southwest and Front Range over the weekend, while the other storm brought valley rain and heavy mountain snow to the Northwest.
The storm system tracking out of the Southwest already spread a swath of rain from the central Plains to the Ohio Valley during Monday morning. Aside from a thin corridor along the northern fringes of the storm system where a few snowflakes may mix in, most precipitation will fall as rain.
At the same time, the storm system that brought heavy snow to the Northwest this weekend has spread snow over the northern Plains, including Bismarck, North Dakota, on Monday.
Winter storm watches were in effect Tuesday for parts of northern Illinois, northern Indiana, southern Michigan and northwestern Ohio. Chicago was removed from the watch area, but Detroit and Toledo were both included.
The two storm systems have remained distinctly separate through Monday night across the Plains and Midwest, but they are likely to join forces and take aim at the Midwest during the day on Tuesday.
Combined, they will draw colder air southward and increase the threat for more substantial snowfall.
The degree to which these storms phase together will play a major role in determining how much snow could fall across the Midwest from Tuesday through Thursday.
Related:
The northern storm system tracking out of the Northwest will help to bring a reinforcing shot of cold air and an injection of additional moisture from the Pacific Ocean.
As these storm systems interact throughout the day on Tuesday and into Tuesday night, the coverage and intensity of snowfall is likely to increase across the Midwest.
The most likely areas for accumulating snow beginning during the early morning hours on Tuesday will hone in around central Illinois. The wintry mess will slowly track eastward later Tuesday, Tuesday night and Wednesday.
Places like Gary, Indiana; Peoria, Illinois; and London, Ontario, could all be the on the receiving end of the heaviest snow.
Residents in the region, especially in Detroit, will need to closely monitor the forecast heading into midweek as heavy snow will likely fall across the metro area.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
In Detroit, heavy snow is expected to fall all across the metro area. Back on Nov. 11 and 12, a storm brought 9.2 inches of snow to Detroit Metro Airport. The storm coming Tuesday night might not quite add up to that amount but snowfall totals in excess of 6 inches are expected.
By Thursday, much of the snow will clear out of the Midwest and western Great Lakes.
"Even after the storm is over, another wave of Arctic air will follow and generate lake-effect snow as it rushes across the Great Lakes," added Travis.
Accumulating snow downwind of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior may linger as late as Saturday before tapering off.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo