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Helping Business Weather the Storm

National Weather Summary for Tuesday, February 20, 2018

by David Moran, on Feb 20, 2018 11:11:20 AM

Freezing rain and snow will continue across the Plains and into the Great Lakes through Thursday behind a cold front. Snow will continue for portions of western Colorado through the morning. Thunderstorms will continue for portions of the Plains ahead of a cold front slowly moving eastward. Elevated winds and seas will persist across the Gulf of Mexico through early Tuesday afternoon.

  • Wintry Precipitation for the Plains and Great Lakes through Thursday
  • Snow Continuing Tuesday Morning for Western Colorado
  • Thunderstorms for Portions of the Southern Plains Tuesday
  • Elevated Winds and Seas through Early Tuesday Afternoon for Portions of the Gulf of Mexico 
  • Excessive Rainfall from Northeast Texas into the Mid Mississippi Valley through Thursday

US Hazards Tuesday, February 20, 2018US Hazards

2017-18 Winter Weather Outlook

Wintry Precipitation for the Plains and Great Lakes through Thursday
Northern Plains into the Great Lakes:
Snow will continue for portions of the Northern Plains into the Great Lakes through early Tuesday afternoon. Accumulations will range 6-10 inches with locally higher amounts in excess of a foot across central portions of the Dakotas. For south central South Dakota and north central Nebraska, 3-6 inches of snow with locally higher amounts in excess of 7 inches are expected. Winds in excess of 25 mph will allow for blowing snow and low visibilities at times. From eastern portions of the Dakotas into central Minnesota, 3-6 inches of snow with locally higher amounts in excess of 8 inches are forecast. In addition, a light glaze of ice is expected.  Across southern Minnesota, 1-2 inches of snow with locally higher amounts in excess of 3 inches are expected. Ice accumulations will range 0.05-0.10 inch. Across Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, 3-5 inches of snow with locally higher amounts in excess of 7 inches are forecast. Ice accumulations of 0.05-0.20 inch are expected. For central and southern Wisconsin, up to 2 inches of snow and ice accumulations of  0.25-0.40 inch are expected,.

Central Plains into the Midwest:
Across central Nebraska into western Iowa, snow accumulations up to 2 inches and ice accumulations of 0.05-0.15 inch are expected. For central and western Iowa, up to an inch of snow is expected and ice accumulations will range 0.15-0.25 inch with locally higher amounts in excess of 0.30 inch. For southern Iowa, ice accumulations of 0.05-0.15 with locally higher amounts in excess of 0.20 inch are forecast. Across portions of northern and central Kansas, ice accumulations will range 0.05-0.15 inch. For eastern Kansas and western Missouri, up to an inch of snow and 0.05-0.20 inch of ice are forecast. For areas of Missouri and Illinois, snowfall amounts up to 0.20 inch are expected. 

Southern Plains:
Freezing rain and snow are expected across portions of the Southern Plains Wednesday into Thursday. Most areas will see up to 0.20 inch of ice, but some parts of western Texas may pick up as much as a quarter inch of ice. In addition, up to an inch of snow will be possible. 

Major Cities in Region: Amarillo, TX, Lubbock, TX, Pierre, SD, Oklahoma City, OK, Tulsa, OK, Omaha, NE, Kansas City, MO, Des Moines, IA, Minneapolis, MN, St. Louis, MO, Green Bay, WI, Chicago, IL

Region 1 Tuesday, February 20, 2018Region 1

Snow Continuing Tuesday Morning for Western Colorado
Snow will continue Tuesday morning for portions of western Colorado. Total snowfall accumulations will range 3-5 inches with locally higher amounts.

Major Cities in Region: Grand Junction, CO

Region 2 Tuesday, February 20, 2018Region 2

Thunderstorms for Portions of the Southern Plains Tuesday
Thunderstorms are developing across portions of Texas ahead of a cold front. As thunderstorms develop, hail in excess of 0.50 inch, damaging winds, heavy rain, and frequent lightning will all be potential hazards. Further east, thunderstorms may develop across portions of Arkansas and Missouri this afternoon.  Storms developing along and ahead of the front will have the potential to become severe. The primary threat will be damaging winds, but an isolated or two cannot be ruled out. The storm threat should decrease during the evening hours.

Major Cities in Region: Dallas, TX, Fort Smith, AR, Little Rock, AR

Region 3 Tuesday, February 20, 2018Region 3

Elevated Winds and Seas through Early Tuesday Afternoon for Portions of the Gulf of Mexico
Elevated winds and seas are expected for portions of the Gulf of Mexico through early Tuesday afternoon. Winds will range 20-25 knots with gusts in excess of 30 knots. Seas of 4-6 feet are expected near the shore and 6-8 feet in the deeper waters. 

Region 4 Tuesday, February 20, 2018Region 4

Excessive Rainfall from Northeast Texas into the Mid Mississippi Valley through Thursday
Rain will continue from Northeast Texas into the Lower Mississippi Valley through Thursday ahead of a cold front. With rich moisture in place, three day rainfall totals of 4-8 inches with locally higher amounts are forecast. This will lead to an increased risk for flooding and flash flooding. 

Major Cities in Region: Dallas, TX, Shreveport, LA, Memphis, TN, Indianapolis, IN

Excessive Rainfall Risk Outline for February 20-22, 2018Excessive Rainfall Risk Outline for Tuesday through Thursday

A Look Ahead
A stalled front will remain in place from the Ozarks into the Ohio Valley, allowing additional rainfall Friday into Saturday. Two day rainfall totals of 3-6 inches with locally higher amounts in excess of 7 inches will be possible. Due to excessive rainfall from the last few days, flooding and flash flooding will continue to be a potential hazard.

 That is a brief look at current weather hazards. We can provide you site-specific weather forecast information to protect your staff and assets and to assess your weather risk. Try a 7-day demo right away and learn how timely precision weather information can enhance your bottom line.

Topics:Nowcast/Forecast

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