The Midwest will be 1st up to face down a major snowstorm
Winter storm watches were issued ahead of heavy snowfall — with accumulations of more than a foot predicted — in the region.
By
Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Jan 11, 2022 2:23 PM EDT
|
Updated Jan 13, 2022 9:03 AM EDT
A substantial snowstorm is poised to unload hefty accumulations over parts of the Plains and Midwest late this week and early this weekend, and it won't stop there. AccuWeather forecasters warn that it will likely go on to bring snow and ice, leading to the potential for dangerous travel conditions, across parts of the Southeast -- including as far south as Atlanta, which hasn't seen measurable snowfall in just about four years.
The storm will be what meteorologists refer to as a "Saskatchewan screamer" rather than an "Alberta clipper," AccuWeather Meteorologist Matt Benz explained. The storm is forecast to dive nearly due south from the Saskatchewan province of Canada, hence the nickname, instead of the more traditional starting point in Alberta, Canada. Storms that originate from western Canada tend to move fast and have limited moisture available. Sometimes, though, high-ratio snow can unfold where a mere few tenths of an inch of moisture can yield 6-12 inches of snow.
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Winter storm watches have been issued from late Thursday night through Friday for northeastern South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa due to the predicted heavy snowfall. These watches are likely to expand to surrounding areas over the next 24 hours.
A southward dip in the jet stream will play a role in the storm's path due in part to another system that will unleash blizzard conditions across Atlantic Canada. After aiming for the northern Plains Thursday night and Friday, the storm is likely to take a more southern route than is typical for this type of weather system. It will take a nearly north-to-south path over the Plains and part of the Mississippi Valley from Friday to Saturday.
"There will be a band of heavy snow that generally extends from the eastern Dakotas and Minnesota southward to at least much of Missouri and maybe the Ozarks in Arkansas, if the storm can get far enough south before it begins to turn eastward," Benz said.
The snowy eastern and northern sides of the storm will bring enough snow to shovel and plow to cities such as Fargo, North Dakota; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Minneapolis; Des Moines, Iowa; Omaha, Nebraska; St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, to end the week. People living in these cities or planning on traveling through should anticipate delays on the highways and at the airports.
A wide swath of 6-12 inches of snowfall is expected to encompass the eastern Dakotas to western Minnesota and Iowa. Within this area, the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 15 inches is most likely to occur.
St. Louis has been in a snow hole so far this winter. Except for 0.1 of an inch of snow that fell on Jan. 2, St. Louis has missed out on accumulating snow. The city typically receives about 17 inches of snow during the winter season and is likely to receive enough snow to shovel and plow with the impending storm.
Outside of areas predicted to experience lake-effect snowfall, there will likely be a sharp eastern edge of the heavy snow around the upper Mississippi River Valley. It is possible that Chicago, Milwaukee and Indianapolis receive little to no snowfall with this event, should the center of the storm track through the Dakotas. The difference between a plowable and disruptive snowfall and a nuisance coating in some locations could be determined by a storm track shift of 50 miles or less.
"While there may not be a great deal of wind ahead of and in the wake of the storm, it is likely to be quite windy where snow is falling with the system," Benz said. Winds during the storm can average 15-25 mph with gusts to 40 mph, which can lead to blowing and drifting snow and poor visibility.
Instead of a major push of Arctic air in the wake of the storm, temperatures may only dip slightly over much of the Central states this weekend. Highs Saturday are forecast to be in the teens and 20s F over the northern Plains and Upper Midwest. That will pale in comparison to the bitter air from early this week when temperatures failed to reach zero over parts of the northern tier Monday.
From there, the storm is expected to bring a significant blast of wintry weather to the southern U.S., including accumulating snowfall and the potential for a dangerous ice storm. Places like Atlanta are in the path of the storm, and the city could end a nearly four-year streak without measurable snow.
The storm’s last stop will be the Northeast after it takes a sharp turn to the north-northeast along the Eastern Seaboard.
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
The Midwest will be 1st up to face down a major snowstorm
Winter storm watches were issued ahead of heavy snowfall — with accumulations of more than a foot predicted — in the region.
By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Jan 11, 2022 2:23 PM EDT | Updated Jan 13, 2022 9:03 AM EDT
A substantial snowstorm is poised to unload hefty accumulations over parts of the Plains and Midwest late this week and early this weekend, and it won't stop there. AccuWeather forecasters warn that it will likely go on to bring snow and ice, leading to the potential for dangerous travel conditions, across parts of the Southeast -- including as far south as Atlanta, which hasn't seen measurable snowfall in just about four years.
The storm will be what meteorologists refer to as a "Saskatchewan screamer" rather than an "Alberta clipper," AccuWeather Meteorologist Matt Benz explained. The storm is forecast to dive nearly due south from the Saskatchewan province of Canada, hence the nickname, instead of the more traditional starting point in Alberta, Canada. Storms that originate from western Canada tend to move fast and have limited moisture available. Sometimes, though, high-ratio snow can unfold where a mere few tenths of an inch of moisture can yield 6-12 inches of snow.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Winter storm watches have been issued from late Thursday night through Friday for northeastern South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa due to the predicted heavy snowfall. These watches are likely to expand to surrounding areas over the next 24 hours.
A southward dip in the jet stream will play a role in the storm's path due in part to another system that will unleash blizzard conditions across Atlantic Canada. After aiming for the northern Plains Thursday night and Friday, the storm is likely to take a more southern route than is typical for this type of weather system. It will take a nearly north-to-south path over the Plains and part of the Mississippi Valley from Friday to Saturday.
"There will be a band of heavy snow that generally extends from the eastern Dakotas and Minnesota southward to at least much of Missouri and maybe the Ozarks in Arkansas, if the storm can get far enough south before it begins to turn eastward," Benz said.
The snowy eastern and northern sides of the storm will bring enough snow to shovel and plow to cities such as Fargo, North Dakota; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Minneapolis; Des Moines, Iowa; Omaha, Nebraska; St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, to end the week. People living in these cities or planning on traveling through should anticipate delays on the highways and at the airports.
A wide swath of 6-12 inches of snowfall is expected to encompass the eastern Dakotas to western Minnesota and Iowa. Within this area, the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 15 inches is most likely to occur.
St. Louis has been in a snow hole so far this winter. Except for 0.1 of an inch of snow that fell on Jan. 2, St. Louis has missed out on accumulating snow. The city typically receives about 17 inches of snow during the winter season and is likely to receive enough snow to shovel and plow with the impending storm.
Outside of areas predicted to experience lake-effect snowfall, there will likely be a sharp eastern edge of the heavy snow around the upper Mississippi River Valley. It is possible that Chicago, Milwaukee and Indianapolis receive little to no snowfall with this event, should the center of the storm track through the Dakotas. The difference between a plowable and disruptive snowfall and a nuisance coating in some locations could be determined by a storm track shift of 50 miles or less.
"While there may not be a great deal of wind ahead of and in the wake of the storm, it is likely to be quite windy where snow is falling with the system," Benz said. Winds during the storm can average 15-25 mph with gusts to 40 mph, which can lead to blowing and drifting snow and poor visibility.
Instead of a major push of Arctic air in the wake of the storm, temperatures may only dip slightly over much of the Central states this weekend. Highs Saturday are forecast to be in the teens and 20s F over the northern Plains and Upper Midwest. That will pale in comparison to the bitter air from early this week when temperatures failed to reach zero over parts of the northern tier Monday.
From there, the storm is expected to bring a significant blast of wintry weather to the southern U.S., including accumulating snowfall and the potential for a dangerous ice storm. Places like Atlanta are in the path of the storm, and the city could end a nearly four-year streak without measurable snow.
The storm’s last stop will be the Northeast after it takes a sharp turn to the north-northeast along the Eastern Seaboard.
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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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