KEARNEY, Neb. – Dangerous blizzard conditions from a developing low-pressure system are expected to blanket travel along major intersections in the central US for millions of last-minute vacationers arriving by road or on flights on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
The powerful storms that have caused problems in Southern California and the Desert Southwest for the past week, driven by the El Niño-driven southerly jet stream, are now teaming up with other storms coming down from the Pacific Northwest to create an array of impactful weather.
While those on the warm side of the storm in the southern Plains and along the Gulf Coast will face heavy rain and the threat of isolated flash flooding, the backside of the storm will bring heavy snow as a cold air mass from Canada moves north. part of the US.
As of Sunday morning, snow over the central Rockies began to extend northeastward into the central Plains and parts of the northern Plains, where a Blizzard Warning is now in effect.
What to expect when a major storm hits the central US earlier this week. FOX Weather
Up to half a foot of snow was measured west of Denver in the Rockies of Colorado early Sunday. As much as 8 inches was recorded in Burlington, Colorado, along the state’s border with Kansas.
While only minor accumulations were reported around the Denver-Boulder area, it could be a welcome sight with Santa on his way in a few hours.
Where is the Blizzard Warning in effect?
A Blizzard Warning has been issued for more than half a million people across southeastern and south-central South Dakota and central and northeastern Nebraska.
Winter Storm Warnings, Winter Storm Watches and Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for other parts of the region, stretching from parts of Wyoming and Colorado northeastward to western and northern parts of Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota.
What is the forecast for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the week ahead?
A complex interaction between the low pressure system, an upper-level drop in the jet stream and a cold air mass is forecast to kick the entire storm system further east toward the Mississippi Valley overnight on Christmas Eve, with the low pressure system’s faster enhancement expected to occur in the western Midwest on Christmas Day.
A low pressure system will intensify more rapidly from Christmas Eve into Tuesday morning, introducing a significant threat of strong and gusty winds that will intensify and develop across the north-central US.
With cold air enveloping this intensifying storm, blizzard chances continue to increase across the northern and central Plains, with Monday night into Tuesday morning the most likely time for dangerous blizzard conditions to occur.
Snow has started in Boulder, Co. Twitter / @SchwartzNow
According to the National Weather Service, a blizzard must meet the following criteria to be an official blizzard: sustained or frequent winds of at least 35 mph and frequent falling and/or blowing snow that reduces visibility to one-quarter mile or less , both must continue for a period of three hours or longer.
More than a foot of snow is expected to overlap with wind gusts of 50-55 mph in areas under a Blizzard Warning, some of which will remain in effect until 6 a.m. CST Wednesday.
“So this is going to be a major concern over (Interstate) 80, I-29 and also close to I-90,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Craig Herrera said.
A winter weather warning extends across the central US. FOX Weather
Freezing rain, hail can create icy roads from the Plains to Minnesota
Additionally, a mix of sleet and freezing rain will likely be an issue further east and northeast from the northern Plains into Minnesota from Christmas Day into Tuesday night.
The best chance for any additional ice appears to be concentrated along Interstate 29 in the eastern Dakotas and western Minnesota, where freezing rain may begin on Christmas morning.
The threat of freezing rain spread further west and north on Christmas Eve.
“The frost line is a very fine line, so those of you in eastern Nebraska will be dealing with rain, turning to snow in the evening,” Herrera said.
The forecast calls for wind gusts in the northern and central Plains for the time shown at upper left. FOX Weather
By Tuesday, a band of freezing rain with potentially disruptive amounts of ice accretion could stretch from eastern Nebraska and western Iowa to the eastern Dakotas and western and northern Minnesota.
This could disrupt travel in Fargo and Grand Forks in North Dakota, Sioux Falls in South Dakota and Sioux City in Iowa.
“We can have glass of ice … which can be very disruptive as well,” Herrera added. “Especially the bridges and overpasses (along) major interstates like I-94, I-90, I-29 – these are going to be areas to watch if you’re coming home after the holidays.”
What is the time of this great storm?
Here’s a series of maps highlighting when this big storm will track across the central US over the next few days.
It’s already underway in some areas and will continue to create travel effects across parts of the Plains and Midwest through Wednesday morning.
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