After several days of much above average temperatures in the 60s and 70s, heavy snow is ahead for portions of the Upper Midwest and High Plains. Spring-like temperatures that have shattered many record highs will quickly come to an end, replaced with the reality that it’s still February. Winter Storm Watches have already been issued from Western Wisconsin into Wyoming.
A #winter storm will likely cause significant #travel impacts later this week, especially Thu. #wywx #newx #wyoroad pic.twitter.com/8eh7R3tHNr
— NWS Cheyenne (@NWSCheyenne) February 21, 2017
Snow returns to end the week. Heaviest accumulations south of I-90. #sdwx #wywx pic.twitter.com/Ry1y3aln8u
— NWS Rapid City (@NWSRapidCity) February 21, 2017
The snow will hit the Front Range of Wyoming on Wednesday and reach into the Northern Plains by Friday.
Heavy snow potential is growing for Thursday and Friday. Time to really start watching your forecast! pic.twitter.com/PTIvfKBCZa
— NWS Sioux Falls (@NWSSiouxFalls) February 21, 2017
Its 60 degrees at MSP right now, and in 60 hours it will be snowing. Gotta love #mnwx #wiwx pic.twitter.com/skZ3XHAfND
— NWS Twin Cities (@NWSTwinCities) February 21, 2017
A wide swath of 6″ to 12″ of snow is likely in the heaviest band. Computer model forecasts have some disagreement, so the exactly location of the heaviest snow is yet to be determined.
As the low pressure center moves away from the Rockies and begins to intensify, snowfall will become widespread from Wyoming into Minnesota Thursday.
As the low pulls up significant Gulf of Mexico moisture, accumulations will become heavy Thursday night into Friday night. The low will start to weaken on Saturday as it moves across the Great Lakes and into Canada. Bands of heavy snow will still be possible in Northern Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin into Saturday.
For WeatherNation: Meteorologist Mace Michaels