By AccuWeather senior meteorologist & AccuWeather staff writer
Published Mar. 8, 2022 2:46 PM EST | Updated Mar. 8, 2022 3:44 PM EST
A major change in the weather is unfolding across the nation's midsection this week, AccuWeather forecasters say, as air flowing down from the Arctic threatens to bring significant temperature reversals as a storm delivers heavy snow from the Rockies to the Great Lakes.
The weather, which was downright springlike just days ago, will be more typical of January across parts of the central and southern Plains through the remainder of the week.
Arctic air is first expected to settle into the northern Plains by the middle of the week and temperatures are forecast to be as much as 20 degrees Fahrenheit below normal for mid-March by Thursday afternoon.
A high temperature of 19 is expected Thursday in Minneapolis, where the normal high temperature is 37 for March 10. Meanwhile, Fargo, North Dakota, is expected to hit 14, where the normal high temperature is 33.
Temperatures have averaged below normal in these cities so far in March. After the first six days of the month, Fargo was running 3.7 F degrees below normal.
Farther south, Dallas already experienced one 30-degree temperature dip at the start of this week, with a plunge from highs near 80 this past weekend to a maximum of only 52 Monday. The city is one of many riding the temperature roller coaster.
"Temperatures are forecast to rebound to near 60 on Wednesday and to near 70 on Thursday, only to plunge again by Friday in Dallas, AccuWeather Senior Forecaster Alex Sosnowski said. "Temperatures much of the time on Friday will only be in the 30s with a mixture of rain, sleet and snow in the forecast, followed by a freeze-up Friday night.
An average high for March 11 in Dallas is 67 while the average low is 47.
The topsy-turvy temperatures are not out of the ordinary for March, which is often a battle between the final days of winter and spring's heralded arrival.
"Temperature swings can occur most months of the year, but March might be the champion for this since the air often remains very cold across Canada and the sun is able to produce very warm conditions in the U.S," Sosnowski said. "Often a simple flip of the wind from south to north or vice versa can bring big temperature swings by 20, 30, 40 or more degrees from one day to the next."
For some other locations, this wave of cold will be a shock to the system. In Sioux Falls and Rapid City, South Dakota, temperatures soared to 20 degrees above normal at the start of March. Afternoon temperatures are forecast to swing to almost 20 degrees below normal by Thursday.
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As cold, dry conditions settle into this area of the country, a storm is expected to ride along the southern extent of the cold, spreading snow from the Rockies into the Midwest. Denver and Salt Lake City will receive 3-6 or 1-3 inches of fresh snow respectively.
While the highest snowfall totals are likely to occur in the elevations of the Rockies, several inches of snow may extend across South Dakota and Nebraska into Iowa, southern Minnesota and Wisconsin into Thursday. This swath of snow could make for slippery travel across portions of Interstate 80, including in Des Moines where residents are cleaning up following tornadoes that brought devastation to the community less than a week prior.
Anywhere from 3-6 inches of snow could fall in Des Moines from this developing storm system, while a similar total is expected farther south in Kansas City, Missouri. About 1-3 inches is currently forecast for cities such as Chicago and Milwaukee from Thursday night into Friday.
Even colder conditions are expected to settle into this zone at the end of the week.
"Clearing skies will likely accompany the cold air moving in from Canada, further dropping temperatures on Thursday night. By Friday morning, some locales across the North Central states could be flirting with record low temperatures," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.
Temperatures Friday morning are forecast to be the single digits in Colorado Springs and Denver, Colorado, to Omaha, Nebraska, and Minneapolis, while other cities, including Fargo, North Dakota, could be below zero. Low temperatures in northern High Plains and just east of the front range can lower to 5-10 below zero. Temperatures of this magnitude are more typical of January.
AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said the midweek snowstorm is likely to help these temperatures come to fruition.
"If snow is able to lay on the ground, then these expected temperature departures will occur with higher confidence," Pastelok said.
"By early Saturday morning, freezing temperatures can reach northern Texas, including Dallas," said Pastelok. Some cities like Amarillo, Texas, and Oklahoma City could dip down into the teens late in the week.
However, there is good news on the way for those who dislike the cold. The eastern half of the U.S. is forecast to experience moderating temperatures by next week, forecasters say.
This significant cold shot will be brief, as a warmup is expected to arrive for the Plains and areas farther east, according to Pastelok.
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