Residents in Midwest and Northeast Waking Up to Cold and Snow

Posted: April 21, 2021 2:26 pm

You made a poor choice if you live in the Upper Midwest and Northeast and you put away all of your snow gear. Another round of wintry weather is making its way through the region during the middle of the week.

Tuesday Snowfall

Snow that blanketed the Rocky Mountain region to start the week moved to the east on Monday and Tuesday, bringing significant accumulation and cold temperatures to a large swath of the country. The good news for those growing weary of the winter weather is that the snow was gone nearly as quickly as it arrived thanks to a rebound in the mercury.

Kansas City Sets Record for Largest Latest Snowfall

Kansas City set a record with the largest accumulation of snow this late in the year. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the city recorded 3.5 inches of snow on Tuesday. This makes the event the most significant snowfall on record this late into April. The previous record was 2.7 inches, set on the same date in 1992.

Other Cities with Measurable Accumulation

As the snow system moved to the east, more cities in its path picked up measurable accumulation. Detroit saw 3.3 inches of snow by the time that it moved through. The average snowfall amount during April is only 1.7 inches, proving that this system was more potent than a normal storm this time of the year.

Residents of Indianapolis were also treated to snow that stuck to grassy surfaces, measuring two inches. While the metropolitan areas of Chicago and St. Louis escaped significant accumulation, the suburbs received a light dusting of snow. For example, a suburb just to the southwest of Chicago saw one inch of snow.

What is Next

The system is now continuing its jaunt to the east. Those areas most likely to see disruptive snowfall through Wednesday include parts of northern Ohio and into northwestern Pennsylvania. The snow will then move farther east and target western New York and the shoreline of Lake Erie.

This current trajectory includes the cities of Cleveland and Buffalo. The snow will become more widespread throughout the Northeast overnight on Wednesday. The biggest risk of snow will arrive in the higher elevations in upstate New York and Maine stretching into southern Quebec. It will take a bit of time for this snow to finally exit into Atlantic Canada on Thursday.

Cold Behind the Storm

As the storm exits the region, unseasonably cold air will still be left in its place. Freeze warnings are in place on Wednesday for a large portion of the central US, stretching from the far reaches of southeastern New Mexico and through northern Texas. This line of bitter cold then stretches up through Michigan, putting a significant portion of the middle section of the US up to 20 degrees below normal for this time of the year.

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