[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6yP_qPv_rE&w=480&h=360]
APPETIZER STORM: Today will see more sunshine with temperatures in the 30s and 40s across the state. The appetizer comes Monday as a storm will move into the state from the west. Moisture will be somewhat limited with this system as one low pressure center near the US Canadian border and another to our south begin to phase up over the area. Most places along and west of Interstate 35 will see clouds with no precipitation and gusty winds coming out of the northwest. To the east some light rain will break out that could mix with some snow as the cold air sweeps across the state. It looks right now as if most of the moisture will be east of the Mississippi River before the cold air can arrive but some light snow accumulations are possible in the eastern counties of the state. Most of these areas may get a dusting to half inch of snow before all the precipitation ends late Monday.
LATE WEEK SNOW MESS: The storm that is getting everyone’s attention is the one coming late Wednesday through Friday across the state and Upper Midwest. The latest GFS Model run shows the low pressure center moving over the state as it tracks through. This would bring some heavy snow to the western and northern counties of the state with lighter amounts to the south and east. This would mainly be due to dry air that may end some of the snow for a brief time during the day over the eastern and southeastern counties of the state. Right now accumulations of at least 6″ plus are possible but it’s still too early to determine where the heaviest snow will set up until the storm moves ashore over the California coast in the next 24 hours. What is known that most if not all the precipitation with this system will be in the form of snow and that some strong winds may bring blowing and drifting snow to the area. Blizzard conditions may be possible but again it’s too early to determine that at this time either. Anyone that is expected to be traveling in the state and region Wednesday through Friday will need to take heed of any watches, warnings and advisories that are issued by the National Weather Service. If you don’t need to travel on Thursday and even Friday, it would be best to postpone it until the weekend.
MORE SNOW FUN LATER: Out past the next week, the active weather pattern looks to continue with a possible storm around the 25th and 26th of February and perhaps around the 2nd and 3rd of March. Both look to bring mainly snow to the state with some chance of a wintry mix as well. Given the possible snow cover with the storm upcoming this week, temperatures are likely to be held down to near or slightly below seasonal levels for the latter half of February into early March.