A large, dynamic storm system over the central U.S. will continue to bring impactful winter weather to portions of the north-central U.S. through early Wednesday.
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Heavy snow continues this morning under a deep upper-low as a long fetch of moisture moves northward ahead of a cold front pushing eastward towards the East Coast and wraps back around a surface low over the central Plains.
The snow is expected to continue through Tuesday evening, gradually tapering off Tuesday night through early Wednesday.
The highest additional totals of around 2-4", locally 8", are expected across western South Dakota, western Nebraska, far eastern Wyoming, and northeastern Colorado, with some lighter snow into the Middle Missouri Valley.
There is a high chance (70+%) that storm total snowfall will exceed a foot for areas of south-central South Dakota and north-central Nebraska.
In addition, strong winds gusting upwards of 55 mph will lead to blizzard conditions.
The combination of heavy snow rates and white-out conditions will make travel difficult to impossible.
A significant freezing rain event also continues from portions of northern/eastern South Dakota into southern/eastern North Dakota.
Ice accumulations of 0.25 to 0.5", locally 0.75", will lead to potentially significant tree damage and power outages.
A wintry mix will likely follow the surface low track into the Middle Mississippi Valley Wednesday.
Widespread showers and thunderstorms ahead of the cold front will spread eastward from the Lower Great Lakes, Upper Ohio Valley, central/southern Appalachians, and the Carolinas Tuesday into the Mid-Atlantic and New England by Wednesday.
Moderate to locally heavy rainfall is expected.
There is a higher potential for a few inches of rain along upslope portions of the central/southern Appalachians Tuesday, and a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall (level 2/4) is in effect as some scattered instances of flash flooding are possible.
An isolated instance or two of flash flooding may also occur Wednesday across the Mid-Atlantic.
Some light lower elevation/coastal rain and higher elevation snow showers are forecast Tuesday for the Pacific Northwest and into the Northern Rockies as a Pacific system weakens this morning.
Another system will approach the West Coast early Wednesday with precipitation chances quickly ramping back up.
Moderate to locally heavy rainfall is likely, particularly for upslope favorable areas along the higher terrain of northern California where snow levels will be high.
Heavy snowfall should be limited to higher mountain peaks.
Some isolated flooding may occur.
High temperatures will remain anomalously warm, upwards of 10-20 degrees above average, from the Upper Midwest into the Great Lakes and interior Northeast Tuesday and Wednesday.
Many will see highs in the 40s and even some low 50s.
While not quite as anomalous, conditions will also remain above average along the East Coast, with 50s for the Mid-Atlantic and 60s in the Carolinas and Southeast.
Temperatures will be cooler under the influence of the upper-low over the central Plains, with mainly 30s and 40s.
Highs will be around average from the Lower Mississippi Valley into Texas with 50s and 60s forecast.
The West will also be running a bit above average, with highs in the 30s and 40s for the Great Basin, 50s and 60s in the Pacific Northwest and California, and 60s and 70s in the Desert Southwest. ■