By AccuWeather Meteorologist
Published Feb. 5, 2022 6:20 AM EST | Updated Feb. 5, 2022 6:51 PM EST
Widespread Arctic air has set the stage for a quick-hitting storm known as an Alberta clipper to bring accumulating snow to the Canadian Prairies, northern Plains, Great Lakes, and dust parts of the Northeast.
"The [weather] pattern is supportive of clippers," explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Joseph Bauer, adding that an area of high pressure very high in the atmosphere situated over the northeastern Pacific Ocean allowed an area of low pressure to slide out of the Canadian Prairies early in the weekend.
In addition to bundling up in the cold weather, residents will want to keep their snow shovels and winter boots handy as this storm barrels across the region. Snow is expected to remain confined to southern Manitoba and Ontario, as well as northern North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, into Saturday night.
"A narrow zone of moisture across the northern tier of the Upper Midwest will allow for heavier snow for areas like Grand Forks, North Dakota, heading east across the Arrowhead of Minnesota into Saturday evening," said Bauer.
Grand Forks, North Dakota; Duluth, Minnesota; and Marquette, Michigan; will be among the cities set to get at least an inch of snow from this speedy storm by Saturday night. Winnipeg, Manitoba, where snow has already begun, could receive anywhere from 3-6 inches (8-15 cm). The heaviest snow is anticipated to focus around the Canadian border, also with totals nearing 6 inches.
"The clipper will then quickly work its way through the Midwest Sunday and into the East by Monday," said Bauer.
Frigid air will continue to drop temperatures across the northern Plains on Sunday and Sunday night as the storm moves out of the area, with Grand Forks reaching only 3 F during the day, despite the average being in the teens this time of year. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will be even lower, dipping into the negatives, and reaching around -20 F on Sunday night.
Though the core of snow will center around northern New York state, along with southern Ottawa and Quebec, snow showers could dip southward to interstates 80 and 90 in the Midwest on Sunday. These snow showers are not likely to be particularly heavy as frigid air from Canada restricts higher snow totals.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"Recent blasts of cold, dry air across the middle part of the country will lead to this storm being moisture starved farther south," Bauer added.
Though many residents of the northern regions are used to the snow and cold, especially at this point in the winter, blustery conditions could cause extra hazards this week.
"Gusty winds could lead to near-blizzard conditions for the northern Plains, leading to some disruptive travel for northernmost highways," said Bauer. Motorists are advised to be extremely cautious when traveling as this clipper makes its way through the region.
Reinforcing cold air behind the storm will arrive Monday and Monday night as light snow showers or flurries from Chicago to Detroit and the interior Northeast, plummeting temperatures into the single digits. On Monday morning, cities across the Upper Midwest could even have lows in the negative teens.
Dayton, Ohio, for example, could have temperatures falling below 10 degrees Fahrenheit early Tuesday morning, and AccuWeather meteorologists are urging residents to limit outdoor activity. Typically, low temperatures in early February are in the upper 30s for Dayton.
Looking ahead, this pattern conducive of clippers is expected to continue as a northwesterly flow will continue to propel clippers out of Canada and into the Midwest. This can force shots of cold air southward into the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and Northeast during the second half of next week and provide chances for accumulating snow from any passing storm, according to AccuWeather's long-range team.
More to read:
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
No comments:
Post a Comment