National Weather Summary
A powerful late-winter storm system will bring widespread impacts to the central and eastern U.S. midweek. Heavy snow and blizzard conditions are expected from the Central Plains through the Upper Midwest and into parts of the Great Lakes, while strong winds and severe thunderstorms develop farther south. A sharp cold front will advance across the Mississippi Valley, bringing a significant temperature drop and a change from rain to snow in some areas.
The strongest winter weather impacts will occur from northern Kansas into southern Minnesota, where wind gusts over 50 mph combined with heavy snowfall rates of 1-2 inches per hour will create whiteout conditions and make travel extremely dangerous, if not impossible. Snowfall totals exceeding 6 inches are likely, with some locations seeing more than a foot of accumulation.
In the Southern Plains, high winds and dry conditions will create a critical fire weather risk, especially across Texas and Oklahoma. Meanwhile, the East Coast will experience one last mild day before the approaching front brings rain and falling temperatures by Thursday. The West remains active, with another Pacific system bringing periods of rain and mountain snow to the Northwest and northern Rockies.
Northeast Weather Story
After a stretch of unseasonably mild weather, the Northeast will see a transition period midweek as high pressure begins to shift offshore and an approaching storm system introduces unsettled conditions. Today will be the final day of widespread warmth, with temperatures reaching well into the 50s and 60s for most, and even some lower 70s in western New England and the Hudson Valley.
Clouds will increase through the day, especially across southern and coastal areas, where developing onshore flow may also lead to areas of fog and drizzle by overnight. The wind will pick up as well, with southerly gusts of 25-35 mph possible in the Champlain Valley, the Berkshires, and along coastal New England.
By Thursday, a cold front will approach from the west, bringing rain showers that will become more widespread by late in the day. A coastal low is expected to develop along this front, which will enhance precipitation Thursday night into Friday. While much of the precipitation will fall as rain, colder air will begin filtering in behind the system late Thursday night, allowing rain to mix with and eventually change over to snow across interior higher elevations. The Adirondacks, Green Mountains, and Berkshires could see accumulating snow Friday morning before precipitation tapers off.
Another concern will be the increasing northwest winds Friday as the storm intensifies offshore. Gusts over 40 mph are possible across much of the region, particularly in coastal areas and higher terrain. These strong winds combined with falling temperatures will make for a raw and blustery end to the week.
The weekend will feature a brief return to milder and drier conditions, but another system looms for early next week, bringing the potential for additional rain and even some snow in the interior.