America will see a winter storm sweep throw large swathes of the nation tomorrow night. The National Weather Service warned that from Arizona to Iowa, a winter storm will spread heavy snow and strong winds, creating near blizzard conditions. Meanwhile, AccuWeather holds there is a risk for tornadoes along the Gulf coast to the Great Lakes.
In an alert, the NWS said: “The combination of heavy snow rates and strong winds gusting above 40 mph could result in near-blizzard conditions, especially for the Southern High Plains.
“This will produce considerable blowing and drifting of snow, very low visibility at times, dangerous travel, and possible impacts to infrastructure.
“Farther to the east across the Central Plains, heavy snow rates and gusty winds will likely result in hazardous travel. This combination of heavy snow and strong winds may extend into the Upper Midwest on Thursday.
“There is still considerable uncertainty into the exact track of this system, which will affect where the greatest impacts occur.
“Much colder temperatures, falling to well below normal values and perhaps near record lows over the Southwest, will follow in the wake of this system.”
Snow accumulation of up to 7 inches is possible in Colorado and Kansas, according to the NWS.
Snowfall could reach up to 15 inches in areas above 8,500 feet in parts of New Mexico, with winds gusts of 55 mph possible.
Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota are also under a winter storm watch beginning Tuesday evening, with snow accumulations of up to 6 inches possible, winds as high as 60 mph and possible blizzard conditions.
After Tuesday evening, where “heavy and gusty thunderstorms” feature over the south-central region, conditions throughout Wednesday will remain relatively still.
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AccuWeather then noted wind gusts, hail, torrential downpours and tornadoes will strike overnight over the lower portion of the Mississippi Valley, as northern thunderstorms advance eastward across Arkansas and Louisiana before reaching northwestern Mississippi and western Tennessee.
On Thursday, the risk of severe thunderstorms will extend along an approximate 900-mile-long swath from the central Gulf coast to the shores of Lake Erie.
Wind gusts in the strongest storms will range between 60 and 70 mph with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 80 mph possible.
“The magnitude of the severe weather, especially the storms in the Southern states, is not likely to be as intense as outbreaks have been earlier this winter,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno added.
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