Active Storm Track to Bring Potential of More Snow and Heavy Rain

Posted: February 23, 2021 4:20 pm

Milder air will set up in a large area of the nation heading into the last week of February, however, the active storm track will continue. This active storm track is predicted to deliver additional snow throughout areas of the Midwest and into New England.

Clipper Storms on Track for Work Week: Two separate clipper storms will dip down and affect the northern tier of the nation during the early and middle parts of the week. The good news is that this pair of storms will not pack the punch of the previous systems moving through the area over the last few weeks. This will keep the snowfall accumulation far north.

The first clipper hit northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan late Monday and is continuing to drop snow on Tuesday. Throughout the day Tuesday and into the overnight hours, snow is expected to pick up in parts of New York state, Pennsylvania, western Maryland, northern New Jersey, northern West Virginia, and into New England. Most areas will only see an inch or two of snow. However, it only takes a coating of the white stuff to cause slippery road and sidewalk conditions.

The second clipper storm will fire up late Tuesday night and continue through Wednesday starting in the Upper Midwest and moving into the Northeast. This storm will also deliver minimal to moderate snowfall as it breezes through the area.

Southern Storm Track Fires Up Later in Week: After a brief period of quiet for most of the nation, the southern storm track will fire up later in the week. This system will bring the high potential for heavy rain in the South Central states.

Because so much of this area was hit with a major ice storm last week, there is the chance that the new rain may trigger flooding as the ice continues its swift melting process. The saturated soil may not be able to handle the heavy rain, leading to localized flooding of streams and other small bodies of water.

In addition, this system may bring the potential of thunderstorms and gusty conditions as the weather pattern remains unsettled throughout the South.

Moving Northeast: This system will then likely head toward the northeast later in the weekend. While there is no expectation that the Arctic air of the last few weeks will dip down again, the temperatures may still be cold enough to provide the fuel to turn this into a wintry mess throughout the Northeast over the weekend.

The chances of wintry precipitation hinge on the location of a high pressure system. There is still a good chance that milder air will prevail and most areas will only see rain. However, there is also the possibility that a wedge of cold air may lead to freezing rain throughout the central Appalachians and interior parts of the mid-Atlantic. If this happens, expect snow to set up in New England over the weekend.

Fog a Concern: Another weather issue to be aware of is the potential for dangerous fog. Once the rain begins falling in the South and mid-Atlantic, fog may build up and cause travel issues along interstates 77, 81, and 85 throughout the southern Appalachians and the Piedmont.

Snow for the Rockies: One area that has been left out of the severe winter weather over the last few weeks has been the southern Rockies. This may change this week as a strong storm is taking aim at the region starting on Tuesday night. A cold front located in the Plains is expected to trek to the south late Tuesday, ushering in colder temperatures and setting up the conditions for a potent storm brewing. This cold air will meet with energy coming from the Pacific Northwest to bring the strong potential of heavy snow to this area of the Rockies.

Who Will See Snow in the Rockies? The flakes will start flying in Utah’s Wasatch Range some time on Wednesday afternoon or evening. Parts of Colorado and Wyoming will see significant snowfall overnight on Wednesday. The system will then bring snow to areas of northern New Mexico and Arizona by sunrise on Thursday.

Although Salt Lake City and Provo will only see minimal snow accumulation, the mountains to the east of the biggest metro area of Utah will see up to six inches of new snow. Even more snowfall is expected for parts of Colorado. Denver and Colorado Springs may see as much as six inches of snow by the time the snow moves through on Thursday. Residents should be prepared for a messy morning commute on Thursday along interstates 70, 80, and 25. In addition to the falling snow, gusty winds will whip up the snow already on the ground.

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