Key Takeaways
- A new storm is expected to impact the Pacific Northwest on Thanksgiving night and morph into a cross-country storm with heavy rain and snow across over 1,000 miles of the country.
- The storm will bring a batch of rain and higher elevation snow to the Pacific Northwest, and then spread precipitation over the country’s midsection with a dividing line between rain and snow.
- Exact snowfall amounts are difficult to predict, but a stripe of accumulating snow is likely to stretch from the Rockies to the Appalachians.
- The storm will also bring a new, colder rush of frigid Arctic air, sending temperatures plummeting for millions, with high temperatures in the teens and low 20s possible as far south as Kansas.
- Flash flooding is a concern in parts of the South, including eastern Texas, southeastern Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
Introduction to the Storm
Holiday travelers in the United States avoiding widespread disruptive weather ahead of Thanksgiving might not be so fortunate during their post-holiday journeys. A new storm that will first impact the Pacific Northwest on Thanksgiving night is expected to morph into a full-blown, cross-country storm with the potential to dump heavy rain and accumulating snow across more than 1,000 miles of the country this weekend. This storm will also open the door for a new, colder rush of frigid Arctic air to send temperatures plummeting for millions right before the calendar flips to December.
Current Weather Conditions
A potent, quick-hitting winter storm is already causing issues for some travelers ahead of the new storm. Several inches of snow and strong winds have already hit parts of the Midwest, killing one person in Minnesota, and blizzard warnings are in effect for parts of Wisconsin and Michigan as the storm tracks through the Great Lakes. Considerable lake-effect snow will follow the storm through the rest of the week, with lake-effect snow warnings for up to 20 inches of snow and wind gusts to 50 mph in effect from northeast Ohio to northwest Pennsylvania and southwest New York.
The Post-Turkey Day Storm
The storm will push into the Pacific Northwest on Thanksgiving night and bring a batch of rain and some higher elevation snow to the region. It will slide into the Rockies on Friday as cold air starts to seep into the northern US, with snow beginning in parts of the northern Rockies and the northern Plains as the storm meshes with the winterlike air. The center of the storm is forecast to move into the Plains by Saturday morning and strengthen throughout the day as it heads toward the Midwest. It will spread precipitation over much of the country’s midsection with a rather stark dividing line between rain and snow Saturday.
Snowfall and Precipitation
Exact snowfall amounts are difficult to pin down multiple days in advance of the storm, but it’s becoming increasingly likely that a stripe of accumulating snow will stretch from the Rockies to the Appalachians to close out November. The two most-used weather forecast models — the GFS and ECMWF — are projecting snowfall in similar areas, but the amounts differ in a few locations. A more precise snowfall total forecast will likely come into focus by Friday. Regardless, it’s the most widespread opportunity for accumulating snow in meteorological fall — September through November this year.
Impact on Holiday Travel
The storm will likely bring snow on Saturday to places around the Great Lakes like Chicago that have already been snowy this season because of lake-effect snow. Other typically snowy areas have been shortchanged so far, with Minneapolis averaging at least a half-foot of snow by now but only just recording its first measurable snow — at least 0.1 inches — Tuesday night. Rain could also disrupt holiday travel south of the snowy areas, with concern growing that heavy rain — and potentially a few thunderstorms — could produce flash flooding in parts of the South starting Saturday.
Arctic Blast
A batch of chilly air is already starting to filter into the country ahead of Thanksgiving, but an even colder blast is on the way this weekend. The new round of significant temperature drops will begin Saturday in the Rockies and Plains as Arctic air plunges into the US behind the storm. High temperatures in the teens and low 20s are likely as far south as Kansas. Temperatures will sink to downright frigid levels overnight into early Sunday morning, with low temperatures in the single digits in much of the north-central US and dipping below freezing all the way into northern Texas.
Conclusion
The upcoming storm and Arctic blast will bring significant changes to the weather across the United States, with heavy rain, snow, and freezing temperatures expected. Holiday travelers should be prepared for disruptions and plan accordingly. The storm will also mark the beginning of meteorological winter — December through February — and it will certainly feel like it well into the first week of the season. The Arctic blast could be a preview of more cold to come deeper into December from a disruption of the polar vortex.
