Thursday, February 26, 2015

Weekend Storm to Bring Heavy Snow and Ice Threat to Plains, Midwest

By Jordan Root, Meteorologist
February 26,2015; 10:55PM,EST
 
 
The weekend is setting up to be a slippery and messy one across parts of the Plains to the Midwest as a new storm takes shape.
"A piece of energy from a storm in the West will eject out of the Four Corners region along a boundary between springlike and winterlike temperatures," said AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Ed Vallee.
Warm, moist air from the Gulf will surge into the Plains and will clash with cold air, setting the stage for disruptive ice, snow and rain.
Heavy snow is expected to break out along this boundary across the Midwest and will bring snow-packed roads and poor driving conditions to many folks.

Snow will commence in Colorado, including around the Denver area on Saturday. The city has the potential to break its snowiest February on record.

Travel around Kansas City, Missouri, could be slippery much of the weekend.
The heaviest snow will likely span a swath north of St. Louis and Indianapolis to south of Chicago and Detroit, where over a half of a foot is possible Saturday night into Sunday.
"Snow-covered roads will be a travel hazard farther north across the northern part of the Ohio Valley where cold air is more prominent," warned Vallee.

However, a slight shift to the north or south of the storm track by as little as 50 miles will affect the heaviest swath of snow.
Travel on Interstate 70, I-80 and I-90 will be severely impacted due to snow and low visibility. Those taking to the air will likely face flight delays at major hubs, including at O'Hare.
The cold air will be stubborn to leave some places as the warm air moves in, heightening the risk for freezing rain and drizzle.
Dallas and Oklahoma City could deal with icy conditions starting Saturday morning. Travel delays are likely as icy spots develop on area roadways, especially bridges and overpasses.
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The warmer air will eventually take over and will help erase the cold that has been entrenched across the Plains this past week.
After experiencing temperatures in the 30s at the end of the week, the surge of warmer air will bring 50s back into Dallas and surrounding areas.
As the warm air moves north and east into Sunday, the threat for ice will exist across Kansas, Missouri and the Ohio Valley.
This wintry mess will push into the Northeast as the weekend draws to a close, threatening a hazardous Monday morning commute for tens of millions.
AccuWeather.com will continue to provide updates on the extensive storm for the Central and Northeast states this weekend.




 
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