Weather whiplash to follow springlike warmth across the northern Plains, Upper Midwest
By
Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Mar 10, 2021 9:29 AM EDT
Insurance claims and damage reports rise to a staggering level after coast-to-coast winter storms in February. AccuWeather estimates losses could reach $155 billion.
After an extended stretch of unseasonably mild weather across the Plains and Midwest that broke long-standing records, snow and chilly air are returning to this part of the country, undoubtedly bringing a case of weather whiplash for residents.
Conditions have taken an unsettled turn as a storm system has formed along the Colorado Front Range. Snow was falling and accumulating across Wyoming during Tuesday night and beginning to spread into western South Dakota. Meanwhile, showers and thunderstorms were starting to blossom across the central Plains.
In some cases, high temperatures on Wednesday will likely fall 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit short of what was felt on Tuesday across the northern Plains. While the magnitude of the cold air will be nowhere near record territory from this storm system, it will still be a shock to the system for some as temperatures fall rather rapidly.
The high in Aberdeen, South Dakota, hit 69 F on Tuesday, but temperatures will struggle to reach the upper 30s on Wednesday. By Thursday, 3-6 inches of snow may have accumulated in the city. Many other cities across the region will have similar temperature plunges.
Mother Nature will also remind residents that wintry weather is not yet done for the season as snow spreads northeastward across the region.
The main corridor of wintry conditions on Wednesday is expected to extend from the Wyoming and Colorado Rockies eastward through South Dakota and into Minnesota. Within that zone, the highest snowfall totals -- which may approach upwards of a foot -- will likely remain along Interstate 25, north of I-80. Casper, Wyoming, is forecast to pick up 6-10 inches of snow from the storm. However, there can be pockets of heavier snowfall along the storm's journey into South Dakota and Minnesota.
The Black Hills of South Dakota may also end up close to the zone of higher snowfall totals from the storm as well. While mild enough temperatures may limit heavy snow from piling up in places like Rapid City and Sturgis, the high terrain of the Black Hills National Forest could receive upwards of a half of a foot of snowfall.
Temperatures hovering near, or slightly above freezing may also play a key factor in determining how much snow falls along interstates 29 and 90 in eastern South Dakota on Wednesday. With temperatures well above the freezing mark prior to the arrival of the storm system, snow may also have a tough time accumulating on Wednesday, especially where it's only snowing lightly.
Another pocket of moderate to heavy snow is forecast to fall in a narrow zone over west-central and northeastern Minnesota.
This storm will be a quick hitter with the majority of the wintry conditions forecast to occur during Wednesday and Wednesday night across the zone from Wyoming to Minnesota.
The snow across portions of the Plains and Midwest will not be the only round of wintry weather the center of the nation has to deal with this week either. Another storm system is forecast to follow at the end of the week and into this weekend.
This large storm has the potential to unload several feet of snow centered on the foothills of the Colorado Rockies, but heavy snow is also likely to extend outward to central portions of the Plains and farther north and south over the Rockies.
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 / Winter Weather
Weather whiplash to follow springlike warmth across the northern Plains, Upper Midwest
By Brandon Buckingham, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Mar 10, 2021 9:29 AM EDT
Insurance claims and damage reports rise to a staggering level after coast-to-coast winter storms in February. AccuWeather estimates losses could reach $155 billion.
After an extended stretch of unseasonably mild weather across the Plains and Midwest that broke long-standing records, snow and chilly air are returning to this part of the country, undoubtedly bringing a case of weather whiplash for residents.
Conditions have taken an unsettled turn as a storm system has formed along the Colorado Front Range. Snow was falling and accumulating across Wyoming during Tuesday night and beginning to spread into western South Dakota. Meanwhile, showers and thunderstorms were starting to blossom across the central Plains.
In some cases, high temperatures on Wednesday will likely fall 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit short of what was felt on Tuesday across the northern Plains. While the magnitude of the cold air will be nowhere near record territory from this storm system, it will still be a shock to the system for some as temperatures fall rather rapidly.
The high in Aberdeen, South Dakota, hit 69 F on Tuesday, but temperatures will struggle to reach the upper 30s on Wednesday. By Thursday, 3-6 inches of snow may have accumulated in the city. Many other cities across the region will have similar temperature plunges.
Related:
Mother Nature will also remind residents that wintry weather is not yet done for the season as snow spreads northeastward across the region.
The main corridor of wintry conditions on Wednesday is expected to extend from the Wyoming and Colorado Rockies eastward through South Dakota and into Minnesota. Within that zone, the highest snowfall totals -- which may approach upwards of a foot -- will likely remain along Interstate 25, north of I-80. Casper, Wyoming, is forecast to pick up 6-10 inches of snow from the storm. However, there can be pockets of heavier snowfall along the storm's journey into South Dakota and Minnesota.
The Black Hills of South Dakota may also end up close to the zone of higher snowfall totals from the storm as well. While mild enough temperatures may limit heavy snow from piling up in places like Rapid City and Sturgis, the high terrain of the Black Hills National Forest could receive upwards of a half of a foot of snowfall.
Temperatures hovering near, or slightly above freezing may also play a key factor in determining how much snow falls along interstates 29 and 90 in eastern South Dakota on Wednesday. With temperatures well above the freezing mark prior to the arrival of the storm system, snow may also have a tough time accumulating on Wednesday, especially where it's only snowing lightly.
Another pocket of moderate to heavy snow is forecast to fall in a narrow zone over west-central and northeastern Minnesota.
This storm will be a quick hitter with the majority of the wintry conditions forecast to occur during Wednesday and Wednesday night across the zone from Wyoming to Minnesota.
The snow across portions of the Plains and Midwest will not be the only round of wintry weather the center of the nation has to deal with this week either. Another storm system is forecast to follow at the end of the week and into this weekend.
This large storm has the potential to unload several feet of snow centered on the foothills of the Colorado Rockies, but heavy snow is also likely to extend outward to central portions of the Plains and farther north and south over the Rockies.
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