Parade of Clipper Storms to Deliver Snow Showers to Great Lakes and Northeast

Posted: February 28, 2022 11:09 am

As spring draws nearer, residents of the Great Lakes and New England may be wondering why it is taking its sweet time. Another round of winter weather is on tap to start March, holding true to the adage that the month roars in like a lion.

Series of Clipper Storms to Bring Bursts of Brief Snow Showers

The upcoming wintry weather can be blamed on a series of clipper storms that are predicted to sweep down into the northern tier of the country to start the week, bringing a chance of snow each time a new storm arrives from Canada.

A line of snow showers and squalls spread across the Northeast on Sunday, giving residents a taste of what is to come in the coming days. The first official clipper of the week is forecast to begin diving down into Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan beginning Monday.

This clipper storm will then push into the Northeast by late Tuesday. While there will be a minimal amount of moisture accompanying each individual clipper, the cumulative effects may add up throughout the week.

Each clipper may bring anywhere from a slight coating to up to three inches of snow, largely depending on the speed of the storm. While there are not likely to be any serious complications associated with any of these clippers, there will be enough snow to briefly lead to slippery road conditions and reduced visibility.

Rounding Out the Week

Two more clippers are in the forecast beginning late Tuesday and lasting through Thursday. These storms will originate in North Dakota and Minnesota before spreading farther into the Northeast. Each of these two storms will only bring snow showers lasting for a few hours.

Each of the clippers will bring more consistent temperatures along with the snow showers. It has already been bitterly cold for much of the northern half of the U.S. For example, Minneapolis has struggled to get out of the teens for daily high temperatures over the majority of last week. Likewise, cities throughout Wisconsin saw daily highs in the lower 20s with nighttime lows plummeting near or below zero degrees.

International Falls, Minnesota has been exceptionally cold over the last few days. The nighttime low in this far northern city dropped to -40 degrees twice last week. Temperature averages for this city were about 12 degrees below average for the month of February.

What to Expect This Week for Temperatures

While it may seem unusual, the steady parade of storms will actually help to moderate temperatures. The cloud cover associated with the clippers will keep overnight lows from dropping too significantly from the daytime highs.

The temperatures will fluctuate more in the Northeast during the middle of the week. While the warmer air will be the story for the mid-Atlantic, daily highs in the Northeast will swing between the 20s to the 40s.

Cities to the south of the snow line, including Philadelphia and Baltimore, will enjoy moderate temperatures in the 50s for Tuesday and Wednesday.

The series of clippers will finally wrap up by the end of the week, bringing drier conditions for the weekend.

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