Snow, ice to deal abrupt end to early taste of spring for Heartland
By
Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Feb 15, 2022 4:53 AM EST
|
Updated Feb 17, 2022 2:53 AM EST
States from Connecticut to Colorado are facing similar challenges.
A dynamic winter storm that was beginning to take shape late Wednesday afternoon is expected to sweep across the middle of the nation bringing all manner of weather hazards, including accumulating snow and dangerous ice on its cold side -- and severe thunderstorms and potential tornadoes on its warmer side.
The advancing weather system, which was potent enough to drop hail in Southern California on Tuesday, will deal an abrupt case of weather whiplash to many places across the Heartland that were enjoying an early taste of spring Wednesday afternoon. Some spots saw temps balloon into the middle and upper 60s on Wednesday. AccuWeather forecasters say as the storm hits, temps will fall off a cliff and be accompanied by snow and ice.
Up to a foot of snow is anticipated to fall from central Kansas to the thumb of Michigan, from late Wednesday night through Thursday. For many places in the Midwest, precipitation will start as rain and turn to snow as temperatures drop. Many, including those in the Windy City, can expect slippery roads and sidewalks by Thursday morning rush hour, especially as bitterly cold air causes any wet spots from rain to freeze up.
The heaviest snow from this storm is likely to occur over the southeastern half of the Chicago metro area, including northwestern Indiana. Snowfall total may tail off dramatically over the northern and western suburbs.
Winter storm warnings were in effect for parts of Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, and winter storm watches were in place from Oklahoma to west-central Illinois.
"This looks to be a rather dynamic storm with the potential for major impacts of several kinds, including heavy snow, significant ice accretion, flooding, severe weather and even a rather broad zone of strong winds," said AccuWeather Meteorologist La Troy Thornton, adding that nearly the entire eastern half of the nation will likely be in play for at least one of these threats.
In some locations, thunder and lightning can accompany the snow.
Cold air will allow a slice of steady snow to fall from Kansas and Oklahoma, all the way across the Great Lakes and into Canada, where over a foot of snow is expected.
And that cold will be a sharp contrast to the weather that was experienced in many places across Kansas and Missouri on Wednesday. Some of the places that will see some of the most dramatic temperature swings are in parts of eastern Kansas, including Topeka, where the temperature was 65 degrees on Wednesday afternoon. Temperatures had plunged into the 20s Thursday morning and will dip to a low of 8 there by Friday morning, AccuWeather forecasters project, and the area could see 4-8 inches of snowfall.
Farther to the south in Fort Scott, a small city of fewer than 10,000 about 130 miles south of Kansas City, the day-to-day contrast will be even more pronounced. The temperature in Fort Scott reached as high as 68 degrees on Wednesday, but by Thursday night is expected to bottom out at 5 degrees. Along with that, there will be ice followed by snowfall that could total as much as 3 inches.
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The snow began to arrive in the Plains late Wednesday night and will progress northeastward, impacting Chicago in the early hours of Thursday morning. AccuWeather forecasters say snow will expand into Detroit later Thursday and deliver anywhere from 6-10 inches of snow to the Motor City. Heavier snow may fall just to the northwest of downtown Detroit.
By Thursday evening, flakes will be flying in places north of the U.S.-Canada border, like Montreal and Quebec City, Quebec.
On the northwestern edge of the storm, gusty winds will pick up snow and limit visibility, with a period of localized whiteout or blizzard conditions not out of the question. On the opposite end, to the south and east, ice accretion up to 0.25 of an inch is expected from southeastern Kansas to western Illinois.
Difficult travel is likely across the entire wintry side of the storm, including around cities such as Des Moines, Iowa; Green Bay, Wisconsin; St. Louis, and Kansas City, Kansas; as well as major roadways such as interstates 29, 35, 55, 70, 80 and 94.
Record-challenging warmth forecast ahead of the storm will allow temperatures to be high enough in much of the southern Plains and middle Mississippi and Tennessee valleys to allow precipitation to fall as rain rather than snow, explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Joseph Bauer. However, residents living in these locations should not let down their guard with this storm.
From 1 to 4 inches of rain could fall from northeastern Oklahoma to western New York, and as far southeast as northern Georgia. Locally higher amounts are possible. Snow already on the ground in any of these areas is expected to melt with the warmth and downpours and lead to river and stream flooding. The National Weather Service issued flood watches and hydrologic outlooks for Illinois and Indiana that warn of flooding caused by excessive rainfall this week.
"In addition to drenching rain heading for these areas in just 24 hours, the clash of cold and warm air will also set the stage for severe weather," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Courtney Travis, adding that all types of severe weather are on the table, from damaging winds to hail to tornadoes.
On Thursday night, the center of the storm is expected to sweep northeastward across New York, turning precipitation across much of the Northeast from rain to snow. Any rain that falls during this time has the potential to freeze up as the cold blast of air moves into the region. Warmth and high winds will precede the return of cold conditions in the Northeast into Thursday night.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Winter Weather
Snow, ice to deal abrupt end to early taste of spring for Heartland
By Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Feb 15, 2022 4:53 AM EST | Updated Feb 17, 2022 2:53 AM EST
States from Connecticut to Colorado are facing similar challenges.
A dynamic winter storm that was beginning to take shape late Wednesday afternoon is expected to sweep across the middle of the nation bringing all manner of weather hazards, including accumulating snow and dangerous ice on its cold side -- and severe thunderstorms and potential tornadoes on its warmer side.
The advancing weather system, which was potent enough to drop hail in Southern California on Tuesday, will deal an abrupt case of weather whiplash to many places across the Heartland that were enjoying an early taste of spring Wednesday afternoon. Some spots saw temps balloon into the middle and upper 60s on Wednesday. AccuWeather forecasters say as the storm hits, temps will fall off a cliff and be accompanied by snow and ice.
Up to a foot of snow is anticipated to fall from central Kansas to the thumb of Michigan, from late Wednesday night through Thursday. For many places in the Midwest, precipitation will start as rain and turn to snow as temperatures drop. Many, including those in the Windy City, can expect slippery roads and sidewalks by Thursday morning rush hour, especially as bitterly cold air causes any wet spots from rain to freeze up.
The heaviest snow from this storm is likely to occur over the southeastern half of the Chicago metro area, including northwestern Indiana. Snowfall total may tail off dramatically over the northern and western suburbs.
Winter storm warnings were in effect for parts of Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, and winter storm watches were in place from Oklahoma to west-central Illinois.
"This looks to be a rather dynamic storm with the potential for major impacts of several kinds, including heavy snow, significant ice accretion, flooding, severe weather and even a rather broad zone of strong winds," said AccuWeather Meteorologist La Troy Thornton, adding that nearly the entire eastern half of the nation will likely be in play for at least one of these threats.
In some locations, thunder and lightning can accompany the snow.
Cold air will allow a slice of steady snow to fall from Kansas and Oklahoma, all the way across the Great Lakes and into Canada, where over a foot of snow is expected.
And that cold will be a sharp contrast to the weather that was experienced in many places across Kansas and Missouri on Wednesday. Some of the places that will see some of the most dramatic temperature swings are in parts of eastern Kansas, including Topeka, where the temperature was 65 degrees on Wednesday afternoon. Temperatures had plunged into the 20s Thursday morning and will dip to a low of 8 there by Friday morning, AccuWeather forecasters project, and the area could see 4-8 inches of snowfall.
Farther to the south in Fort Scott, a small city of fewer than 10,000 about 130 miles south of Kansas City, the day-to-day contrast will be even more pronounced. The temperature in Fort Scott reached as high as 68 degrees on Wednesday, but by Thursday night is expected to bottom out at 5 degrees. Along with that, there will be ice followed by snowfall that could total as much as 3 inches.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
The snow began to arrive in the Plains late Wednesday night and will progress northeastward, impacting Chicago in the early hours of Thursday morning. AccuWeather forecasters say snow will expand into Detroit later Thursday and deliver anywhere from 6-10 inches of snow to the Motor City. Heavier snow may fall just to the northwest of downtown Detroit.
By Thursday evening, flakes will be flying in places north of the U.S.-Canada border, like Montreal and Quebec City, Quebec.
On the northwestern edge of the storm, gusty winds will pick up snow and limit visibility, with a period of localized whiteout or blizzard conditions not out of the question. On the opposite end, to the south and east, ice accretion up to 0.25 of an inch is expected from southeastern Kansas to western Illinois.
Difficult travel is likely across the entire wintry side of the storm, including around cities such as Des Moines, Iowa; Green Bay, Wisconsin; St. Louis, and Kansas City, Kansas; as well as major roadways such as interstates 29, 35, 55, 70, 80 and 94.
Record-challenging warmth forecast ahead of the storm will allow temperatures to be high enough in much of the southern Plains and middle Mississippi and Tennessee valleys to allow precipitation to fall as rain rather than snow, explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Joseph Bauer. However, residents living in these locations should not let down their guard with this storm.
From 1 to 4 inches of rain could fall from northeastern Oklahoma to western New York, and as far southeast as northern Georgia. Locally higher amounts are possible. Snow already on the ground in any of these areas is expected to melt with the warmth and downpours and lead to river and stream flooding. The National Weather Service issued flood watches and hydrologic outlooks for Illinois and Indiana that warn of flooding caused by excessive rainfall this week.
"In addition to drenching rain heading for these areas in just 24 hours, the clash of cold and warm air will also set the stage for severe weather," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Courtney Travis, adding that all types of severe weather are on the table, from damaging winds to hail to tornadoes.
On Thursday night, the center of the storm is expected to sweep northeastward across New York, turning precipitation across much of the Northeast from rain to snow. Any rain that falls during this time has the potential to freeze up as the cold blast of air moves into the region. Warmth and high winds will precede the return of cold conditions in the Northeast into Thursday night.
In other news:
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
Report a Typo