Powerful Storms Target US Heartland
The United State’s heartland, from the southern Plains to the Great Lakes, is being targeted by a powerful winter storm that contains a dangerous mix of weather including blizzard conditions, ice, rain and bitterly cold temperatures.
The sharp cold front at the leading edge of the arctic air that has been moving out of the Northwest over the past several days is clashing with the unseasonably warm air that has been in place over the eastern third of the nation. On Wednesday, the front sparked rain and thunderstorms, hail and damaging winds from central Texas to Michigan.Â
The low pressure center responsible for the snow, ice and thunderstorms will move into the western Ohio Valley Thursday night then turn more toward the east on Friday. North and west of the track there will be a major snowstorm. On the eastern edge of the snowstorm there will be a mix of rain and ice, which will eventually turn to snow. The thunderstorms are forecast to erupt Friday as far north as New England.
The heaviest snowfall, ranging from 12 to 18 inches, will fall across northern Missouri and northwestern Illinois, with up to a foot of snow forecast from the Texas panhandle and northeastern Oklahoma through the Chicagoland area into central Michigan and southern and central Ontario.
The Winter Weather Center is warning icy conditions will exist from northeastern Texas to southeastern Ontario as rain passes through a thin layer of below-freezing air, creating ice pellets or turning the rain to ice as it reaches the ground. The frozen precipitation is coating trees, power lines, sidewalks and roadways, especially bridges and overpasses, adding to the hazardous travel conditions and creating the potential for power outages.Â
Earlier today, rain changed to ice as cold air undercut the warmer air above the surface. Overland Park, Kan., was coated with a half of an inch of freezing rain in less than four hours and streets in the Kansas City area were turned into skating rinks.
In addition to the ice-covered roads, powerful winds are creating blizzard conditions from Oklahoma and eastern Kansas into the Midwest. Whiteouts and blowing and drifting snow will create dangerous travel conditions, especially in rural areas. Conditions will worsen overnight as the storm continues its movement toward the Great Lakes.
State and local police in a number of central Plains states are advising against traveling unless absolutely necessary through tonight and into Friday.