Ice Storm Warming For South Eastern Lower Michigan

Freezing Rain Is Expected To Develop This Afternoon... Continuing Into Tonight.

Ice Accumulations Of A Quarter Of An Inch To Half An Inch Are Expected.

Northeast Winds Of 10 To 15 Mph Will Add Stress To The Ice Coated Trees And Power Lines. Impacts...

Ice Accumulations On Trees And Power Lines Will Likely Lead To Power Outages As Tree Damage Occurs.

This Ice Storm Has The Potential To Produce Power Outages That Could Last For Several Days.

Expect Roads To Become Icy This Afternoon And Especially This Evening. Precautionary/Preparedness Actions...

An Ice Storm Warning Means Severe Winter Weather Conditions Are Expected Or Occurring. Significant Amounts Of Ice Accumulations Will Make Travel Dangerous Or Impossible. Travel Is Strongly Discouraged. Commerce Will Likely Be Severely Impacted. If You Must Travel...Keep An Extra Flashlight...Food...And Water In Your Vehicle In Case Of An Emergency. Ice Accumulations And Winds Will Likely Lead To Snapped Power Lines And Falling Tree Branches That Add To The Danger.

Storms, Flooding, Ice and Snow: Christmas Travel at Risk

Similar to the days prior to Thanksgiving, the worst weather will focus on the days prior to Christmas as millions of travelers take to the roads and skies in the United States and southern Canada.

According to AAA, 94.5 million people will travel 50 miles or more over the holiday season, spanning Dec. 21 to Jan. 1.

Most of the travel troubles will be caused by a single storm system forecast to affect much of the Central and Eastern states on Saturday and Sunday.

The storm this weekend will bring a wide variety of weather ranging from temperature extremes to heavy snow, ice, flooding rain, fog, severe thunderstorms and the potential for tornadoes. The storm will affect major airport hubs from Dallas to St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, New York City and Boston.

This is a spring storm stuck in a winter pattern that threatens to combine slippery travel and flight delays with the dangers of flooding and violent thunderstorms.

Rain, Record Warmth Bring Major Flooding Risk to Midwest

A brief, but major shift in the weather pattern will send warm air northward and will produce a zone of heavy rain in parts of the Central and Eastern states this weekend.

Temperatures will trend upward through the end of the week from the Deep South to New England.

By the weekend, temperatures may challenge record highs from the Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley and the mid-Atlantic.

Highs will be in the 70s over much of the South with a few spots flirting with 80 degrees Saturday and Sunday

Temperatures will reach into the 60s along the Ohio River and the Mason-Dixon line bordering Pennsylvania and Maryland.

The combination of warm, moist air flowing over cold ground and snowcover will lead to locally dense fog in some locations. Fog could hinder early holiday travel this weekend.

Flooding Risk

Enough rain can fall by itself to cause flash, urban and small stream flooding in areas from the northwestern Gulf Coast to the lower Great Lakes and New England.

Where there is still a significant amount of snow remaining on the ground in northern areas, rain combined with warm, moist air can cause that snow to melt rapidly and a substantial rise may result on some rivers.

The situation is being monitored by experts in the National Weather Service and in the commercial weather forecast sector.

The NWS Ohio River Forecast Center is projecting moderate to major flooding along many rivers from southeastern Illinois to northeastern Ohio, including portions of Kentucky.

More Snow For Detroit, Then A Brief Thaw

Another wintry week is in store for Detroit featuring bitter cold, snow accumulation and some icy conditions.

Following the weekend's snowstorm that dropped 7 inches , another round of snow will hit the city late Monday night through Tuesday morning. Snow accumulation in and around the city will be one to two inches come Tuesday morning.

While temperatures will be right above freezing on Tuesday, wind will make it feel even colder. A wind from the west/southwest will be sustained at around 17 mph but gusts up to 33 mph are possible throughout the day.

Winds will subside overnight but into the evening hours gusts up to 20 mph could occur.

At midweek, times of clouds and sun on Wednesday will bring a short-lived relief to the wintry weather for the city. However, it will still be cold in the city, as the day's high temperature will peak at only 26.

It will not be as cold on Thursday but a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain during the afternoon hours will make for icy conditions around the city. Into the evening hours this mix could cause some traffic delays as roads may freeze.

Those out on the roads Thursday afternoon and evening should use caution as icy, slippery conditions are possible.

Another period of rain will come Friday morning but the air will be warmer on Friday, so the concern for icing will be reduced.

Where do storm systems come from?

Wind movement around the world is caused by uneven heating of the Earth by the sun. This creates high and low pressure areas in various locations across the planet. Air then moves from high to low pressure creating air patterns globally.

Arctic Outbreak Will Make November Feel Like January

The coldest air of the season so far is racing southward across the Central states this week. A second blast of Arctic air will push into the Midwest and East this weekend. The arrival of the cold air will be accompanied by snow in many locations.

Air originating from above the Arctic Circle will race southeastward across the Plains during the middle of the week and will reach the Midwest Friday.


The frigid air will be accompanied by strong, gusty winds that will drive windchill temperatures to painful levels for those who have to be outdoors for any length of time, without warm clothing.

The air mass has been producing below-zero temperatures on the North Slope of Alaska, and while it will modify moving southward and eastward, it will mean business as it enters the United States.

The same air mass due to enter the U.S. this week was producing temperatures ranging from 10 to 50 below zero over parts of Canada's Yukon and Northwest Territories Tuesday morning.

As the Arctic air sweeps in it will replace temperatures in the 50s, 60s and 70s with temperatures in the teens, 20s and 30s. In portions of the Plains and Midwest, this transition will occur in a matter of hours.
Gusts past 40 mph will be frequent and could cause flight delays as the waves of cold air spread from the northern Plains to the Midwest and East.

From parts of Montana to North Dakota and Minnesota, high temperatures will be in the teens for one or more days with windchill temperatures hovering in the single digits and dipping below zero at times.

Farther south from parts of South Dakota and Nebraska, eastward to Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, highs will be in the 20s on one or more days with RealFeel temperatures in the teens and single digits.

As the cold air pushes southward, it will produce a period of snow along the Front Range of the Rockies, including Denver. Snow will also mark the arrival of cold air over the Upper Midwest, with rain falling farther south.

Portions of the central Appalachians and the Ohio Valley will have the first day with subfreezing temperatures throughout the daylight hours Sunday.

For those combing through debris in search of valuables and irreplaceable items in the wake of the devastating Midwest tornadoes, the cold wave with its biting winds will be an additional hardship.

The Arctic outbreak will also unleash a round of flurries and locally heavy lake-effect snow from the Upper Midwest to the central Appalachians. There is the potential for a foot or more of snow, where the bands of snow persist.

National Weather Service In Gaylord Confirms Tornado

Strong storms swept through Mid-Michigan Sunday as a cold front moved across the state.

The primary threat was wind, and thunderstorm wind gusts in excess of 60mph were recorded throughout Mid-Michigan.

The National Weather Service out of Gaylord has confirmed one tornado in Otsego County near Waters, Mich.

The damage indicates that it was an EF0 tornado, with peak wind estimates of 65-75mph. The tornado touched down around 4:30pm, just south of exit 270 along I-75. Numerous trees were blown over along the .3 mile long damage path. The path width was 150 yards.

The storm system that brought us Sunday's severe weather is moving farther away from us. It will remain windy for Monday, but the wind will weaken this evening.

Much cooler air is moving in throughout the day as well, firing up some lake effect snow showers.

November Tornado Outbreak Pounds The Midwest

At least eight people were killed as a result of Sunday's tornado outbreak in the Midwest.

Patty Thompson with the Central Office of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency confirmed that there have been six fatalities for the state and that there are likely over 100 injured, though that number is not yet official.

The Associated Press has reported two additional deaths in Michigan as a result of the storms.

Washington County, Ill., Coroner Mark Styninger told The Associated Press that an elderly man and his sister were killed around noon local time when a tornado hit their home in the rural community of New Minden in southern Illinois.

The AP also reported a third death occurred in New Minden while two other deaths occurred in Massac County, also in southern Illinois.

The New Minden tornado was preliminarily rated as an EF-4 (166 to 200 mph) on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, according to an initial survey by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in St. Louis.

At least 20 people were injured there, The AP reported. More than 30 people were injured around Nashville, Ill., WBBM-AM/FM reported.

Tornado touchdowns were reported Sunday in Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky.

At least 68 tornado reports have been received by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, along with about 400 wind damage reports on Sunday.

A majority of the reports came from Indiana and Illinois, where AccuWeather.com meteorologists expected the worst storms to take shape.

"It had the best combination of instability; the sun came out several hours before the thunderstorms blew up," AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Frank Strait said. "The wind shear was also favorable for tornadoes."

Based on photographs of some of the tornado touchdowns, the destruction looks "pretty serious," Strait said.

"It was what we thought there would be: big, violent-type tornadoes," Strait said

An apartment complex was severely damaged in Washington, Ill., according to the Peoria Journal Star. A shelter was established for those in need of a place to live for the time being.

The Central Illinois chapter of the American Red Cross was setting up additional shelters around Washington, the chapter said on its Twitter feed. Seven shelters had opened across Illinois, according to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency's website.

The Illinois National Guard said 10 firefighters from the 182nd Airlift Wing were deployed to Washington to aid with search and rescue efforts.

Another tornado was reported in the Chicago suburb of Frankfort, Ill.

At one point, more than 116,000 Ameren Illinois customers were without power Sunday afternoon as a result of the storms, according to the utility's website.

A state of emergency was declared by Mayor Greg Goodnight in Kokomo, Ind., where significant storm damage was reported.

High Severe Thunderstorm Risk for Midwest and Down The Mississippi Valley

Here is the simulated radar composite reflectivity forecast for 1pm EST, showing a very distinct arc of isolated supercell storms from S Michigan south through E Illinois, with convective initiation along the front as far south as NE Arkansas.

These supercells, especially from southern IL/KY north, will very likely be capable of producing long-track, violent tornadoes as they track through IN, southern MI..., OH, and even southern Ontario.

Farther south, in the Lower Mississippi River Valley, wind fields are forecast to be more unidirectional with height by the time storms develop Sunday afternoon, resulting in a more conditional tornado threat in the southern mode. Still though, any slight weakening or backing of the surface winds in the Lower MS River Valley would create an environment conduce for strong tornadoes as well. Stay tuned to local watches and warnings in the entire slight and moderate risk areas from the southern Great Lakes to AR/TN.

Snow to Accompany Arctic Blast Into the Great Lakes

The arctic blast headed to the Great Lakes will be accompanied by accumulating snow and the risk for icy spots.

A band of rain and snow pressing through the Great Lakes--in a northwest-to-southeast fashion--through Monday night will signify the arctic air's arrival.

The arctic blast will be strong enough for the rain to change to a general coating to an inch of snow in many communities.

Cities in line to be lightly whitened by the snow include Chicago, Ill., Grand Rapids, Mich., and Syracuse and Binghamton, N.Y.

In the wake of the initial band of rain and snow, places downwind of the Great Lakes will see more snow through Tuesday as the arctic invasion activates the lake-effect snow machine.

In the heaviest lake-effect snow bands, the potential exists for 6 to 12 inches to accumulate across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and 3 to 6 inches elsewhere downwind of the Great Lakes.

Outside of the Great Lakes and central Appalachians, wet snowflakes are only expected to make an appearance and not accumulate along the I-95 corridor of the Northeast Monday night through Tuesday.

Snowflakes could even been seen in Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta, Ga., Tuesday night as an inch or two of snow whitens the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians.

First Snowfall of the 2013-2014 Hits Southern Michigan

Here are the firs measurable snow totals of the 2013-2014 season.  Much of lower Michigan experienced it's first measurable snowfall on 11/11/13.  Winter appears to have come in early after a much cooler than normal summer.

Season's collide as a Warm Fall turns into a Cold Winter

Saginaw trace
West Bloomfield 0.1 inches...
Berkley 0.2 inches...
Mayville 0.2 inches...
Detroit Metro Airport 0.5 inches...
Peck 0.3 inches...
Flint 0.4 inches...
Garden City 0.4 inches...
Highland 0.5 inches...
Holly 0.5 inches...
Morenci 0.5 inches...
Pontiac 0.5 inches...
Fowlerville 0.6 inches...
NWS Detroit 0.6 inches...
Monroe 0.6 inches...
Grand Blanc 0.8 inches...

Early Record Snowstorm Hits Colorado up to South Dakota

A record-breaking storm that dumped 4 feet of snow in parts of western South Dakota left tens of thousands of people without electricity on Monday October 7th and ranchers bracing for heavy losses as they assess how many of their cattle died during the unseasonably early blizzard.

The weekend storm was part of a powerful weather system that also buried parts of  Wyoming and Colorado with snow, and spawned destructive tornadoes in Nebraska and Iowa. At least four deaths were attributed to the weather, including a South Dakota man who collapsed while cleaning snow off his roof.

Cattle ranchers throughout western South Dakota were reporting losing between 20 percent and 50 percent of their herds, and early estimates suggest the region may have lost 5 percent or more of its cattle, said Silvia Christen, executive director of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association.

Christen said the storm not only killed calves that were due to be sold soon, but also cows that would produce next year's calves.

"This is from an economic standpoint something we're going to feel for a couple of years," Christen said.

National Guard troops were helping utility crews pull equipment through the heavy, wet snow to install new electricity poles in western South Dakota, where more than 22,000 homes and businesses remained without power Monday afternoon, according to utility companies.

At least 1,600 poles were toppled in the northwest part of the state alone, and workers are expecting to find more as they make their way into rural prairie areas, Grand River Electric Coop spokeswoman Tally Seim said.

"We've got guys flying over our territory, counting as they go. We're finding more as we are able to access the roads. The roads have been pretty blocked on these rural country roads," Seim said.

"One of our biggest challenges is getting access to areas that are still snowed in," added Vance Crocker, vice president of operations for Black Hills Power, whose crews were being hampered by rugged terrain in the Black Hills region. "Safety is our No. 1 concern for both our customers and employees working in this treacherous terrain."

In Rapid City, where a record-breaking 23 inches of snow fell, travel was slowly getting back to normal.

The Rapid City airport and all major roadways in the region had reopened by Monday. The city's streets also were being cleared, but residents were being asked to stay home so crews could clear downed power lines and tree branches, and snow from roadsides.

"It's a pretty day outside. There's a lot of debris, but we're working to clear that debris," said Calen Maningas, a Rapid City firefighter working in the Pennington County Emergency Operations Center.

Still, schools across the region were closed, along with many public offices.

Cleanup also continued after nine tornadoes hit northeast Nebraska and northwest Iowa on Friday, injuring at least 15 people and destroying several homes and businesses. Authorities also are blaming the weather for a car accident that killed three people along a slick, snow-covered road in Nebraska.

In South Dakota, the 19 inches of snow that fell in Rapid City on Friday broke the city's 94-year-old one-day snowfall record for October by about 9 inches, according to the National Weather Service. The city also set a record for snowfall in October, with a total of 23.1 inches during the storm. The previous record was 15.1 inches in October 1919.

Temperatures in the Rapid City area were expected to warm into the 60s on Monday to continue melting the heavy snow, according to the National Weather Service.

Low and possibly mid 90's on the way for next week

NORTHERN MICHIGAN -- We set the table for another dry and warm weekend before some real heat gets in here next week. In fact, it looks like the hottest temperatures of the year will arrive early/mid part of next week.

High pressure has been in control of our weather since late Wednesday leading to warm sunny days and cool crisp nights. That will remain the case Friday into our weekend although winds will return southerly which will start to warm things up even more and by late weekend, start to pump back the muggy conditions northward into the Upper Great Lakes.

There will be no rain across the region this weekend into Monday for that matter. There is a cold front that will attempt to work in, but it will stall out and get hung up across Minnesota and not make it any further. That will be the closest any thunderstorms will come. Temperatures Saturday will be in the low/mid-80's with mid-80's on Sunday.

The real heat gets in here starting Monday as the heat will build into the middle part of the week. Daytime highs Monday will be in the upper-80's/low-90's with low and even mid-90's possible in places Tuesday into Wednesday. It will be much cooler right along the immediate shoreline of the Great Lakes. The humidity will also climb with dew points getting close to 70F next week allowing the heat index to perhaps crack 100F (what it will feel like).

The best shot at any thunderstorms will hold off until next Thursday when these is some consensus that a cold front will arrive.

Lightning Hits Blue Water Bridge In Port Huron

Lightning is seen near the Blue Water Bridge Tuesday May 28th, 2013, as a thunderstorm moved through the Blue Water Area. That storm was followed by more severe weather Thursday. The storm left some flooded roadways, downed branches and power outages in Port Huron and Fort Gratiot, Kimball and Port Huron townships. Power was expected to be returned to most customers by Thursday evening.

Oklahoma Tornado Outbreak Kills World-Renowned "Storm Chasers" Tim Samaras and Team

ABC 7 News Denver
By Anica Padilla | Email Me

Colorado storm chaser Tim Samaras, his son Paul Samaras, and longtime chase partner Carl Young were killed in the EF-3 tornado that tore through El Reno, Oklahoma Friday.
Tim and Paul were both born and raised in Lakewood, Colo. but most recently were living in Bennett. Tim is survived by his wife, Kathy.

Tim Samaras was considered a leader in storm chasing expertise and tornado research and worked with 7NEWS, National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, Boeing, and the federal government.
Samaras and his team starred in the Discovery Channel's "Storm Chasers" for three years before the show was canceled in 2012.

A family member posted this statement on Tim Samaras' Facebook page at 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning:

"I'm Jim Samaras - Tim Samaras's brother. Thank you to everyone for the condolences. It truly is sad that we lost my great brother Tim and his great son, Paul. Our hearts also go out to the Carl Young family as well as they are feeling the same feelings we are today. They all unfortunately passed away but doing what they LOVED. Chasing Tornado's. I look at it that he is in the 'big tornado in the sky...' We (the family) will keep folks aware of what the funeral estrangements are, but please in the meantime keep Tim and Paul in your thoughts and prayers."

Tim Samaras was 55 and his son Paul was 24. Carl Young was 45.

"Carl and Tim were the best of friends," and chased many times, Jim Samaras said.
Carl Young’s father, Bob Young, told CNN his son always wanted to be a meteorologist.

Tim founded TWISTEX (Tactical Weather Instrumented Sampling in Tornadoes EXperiment) to pursue tornadoes and advance the research and warning available to the public.

"Tim Samaras has led, designed, and fielded complex instrumentation research efforts over the past 30 years," the TWISTEX website says.

He was one of the safest in the storm chasing community, and he did it not for just the thrill but the research, friends said.

--Reaction from friends and colleagues--
The deaths of the three men have stunned the storm chasing and weather science community.
"I have known Tim for over 20 years, he was the most brilliant and most careful severe weather researcher of them all. Tim was not a cowboy, he was as cautious as possible about his approach to studying these dangerous storms," said Mike Nelson, 7NEWS Chief Meteorologist, who has worked with Tim in a variety of weather and science projects.
Continue Reading

NOAA: More and Stronger Atlantic Hurricanes in 2013

The global hurricane season, which begins late this month and extends until early winter, is a mixed bag in 2013, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) predicting extreme activity in the Atlantic and mild activity in the Eastern and Central Pacific Oceans. 

According to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, there is a 70 percent likelihood of 13 to 20 named storms in the Atlantic. Seven to 11 of these may become hurricanes, with three to six may developing into Category 3, 4, or 5 hurricanes.

“This year, oceanic and atmospheric conditions in the Atlantic basin are expected to produce more and stronger hurricanes,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “These conditions include weaker wind shear, warmer Atlantic waters and conductive winds patterns coming from Africa."

The average for the Atlantic hurricane season from June to November is 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

NOAA’s outlook for the Eastern Pacific and Central Pacific basins is expected to be calmer than usual, with a 70 percent chance of experiencing 11 to 16 named storms, five to eight hurricanes, and one to four major hurricanes.

The Pacific experiences an average of four major hurricanes from May to November. The season’s first named storm, Tropical Storm Alvin, already developed on May 15.

The 2013 forecasts were completed with improved forecast modeling, data gathering, and an updated National Hurricane Center communication protocol, says NOAA, and will be updated again in early August.

“With the devastation of Sandy fresh in our minds, and another active season predicted, everyone at NOAA is committed to providing life-saving forecasts in the face of these storms and ensuring that Americans are prepared and ready ahead of time.” said Kathryn Sullivan, Ph.D., NOAA acting administrator.

In July, NOAA will introduce a new supercomputer to run an upgraded Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) model that it says more accurately depicts storm structure and storm intensity. The transmission of real-time Doppler data into the HWRF should increase its accuracy by 10-15 percent.

Additionally, the National Weather Service now requires hurricane warnings to remain in effect even when a storm has become post-tropical, such as Hurricane Sandy was when she hit the coastline. 

Rare May Snow in Midwest

An extremely rare Winter Storm is moving out of the Rockies and into the Midwest.

This storm has already dumped up to 15.5 inches of snow near Owatonna, Minn. where I-35 was closed early Thursday due to snow and downed power lines. Up to 14 inches of snow has been measured in Ellsworth, Wis. These snow totals are truly amazing considering we are in early May.
Localized power outages have been reported in portions of southern Minnesota due to downed power lines from the heavy, wet nature of the snow.

Through early Friday, the wet snow or rain changing to snow will focus from the Plains into the Upper Midwest in the cold air behind a sharp cold front and near a closed area of low pressure aloft.

Locations from Kansas and northwest Missouri to eastern Nebraska, Iowa, southeast Minnesota, northwest Wisconsin and the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan are most likely to see this, but flakes could also fly as far south as northern and western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle.
Rochester, Minn., Eau Claire,Wis. , Des Moines, Iowa and possibly even Kansas City, Mo. are in the swath that will see accumulating snow. It appears the most significant band of snow will stay just south of the downtown Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area.

The heaviest snow totals of 6 inches or more, with local totals over 1 foot, are expected in a narrow zone from northern Iowa to southeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin.
Kansas City has seen measurable snow in May only once in recorded history, so this would be a rare event. In addition, Rochester, Minn. will likely see its biggest May snowstorm in history by recording more than 2 inches.


Although the May sun angle should be enough to limit impacts on roads during the day, snow accumulation on trees and power lines could produce power outages in locations that see more than 4 inches of snow.


 A swath of the mid-Mississippi and Lower Ohio Valleys may pick up over two inches of total rainfall through this weekend, thanks to the slow-moving storm.

This is obviously not great news for a region still dealing with river flooding.  Rivers are still above flood stage from Indiana southern Wisconsin and Illinois to Arkansas and west Tennessee, including the Mississippi River downstream from Davenport, Ia. to north of Memphis.


Additional locally heavy rainfall may send smaller creeks and streams into flood again, as well as prolong, or delay mainstem river crests.

This is a very complicated forecast scenario. Therefore, exact forecast details are still highly uncertain, so check back with us as we refine this forecast.

Suffice to say, this will be a rather wild weather pattern for early May

Snowfall Totals/Notables So Far

Here are the latest peak snowfall totals by state as of early Thursday morning:

• Buckhorn Mtn., Colo.:  28.2"
• Near Buford, Wyo.:  20"
• Near Harrisburg, Neb.:  6.1"
• Near Edson, Kan.:  4.5"
• Ringsted, Iowa:  6.5"
• Near Owatonna, Minn.:  15.5"
• Beresford, S.D.:  6"
• Ellsworth, Wisc.:  14"

Some other notable totals include:

• Ft. Collins, Colo.:  10-16"
• Near Boulder, Colo.:  8"
• Denver, Colo.:  3.2"
• Cheyenne, Wyo.:  12.8"
• Omaha, Neb.:  3.1"
• Sioux Falls, S.D.:  1.5"

Interstate 80 between Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyo., as well as Interstate 70 westbound near Georgetown, Colo. were closed due to accidents and/or heavy snow on May 1.

The weight of heavy snow downed tree limbs, triggering power outages in parts of northeast Colorado Front Range. Power outages and downed power lines were also reported in southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin early on May 2.

This was the first one-inch-plus May snowfall anywhere in the state of Iowa since 1967 and the first such May snow in Sioux Falls, S.D. since 1944.

This May snowstorm is setting records in snow Omaha (3.1") and Rochester, Minn. (7" as of this writing).

A tentative May one-day snowfall record for the state of Minnesota may have been set near Owatonna, Minn. (15.5").  These records will need to be officially certified by climatologists and meteorologists.

Another significant late season winter storm possible / Record Lows Set

... Another significant late season winter storm possible...

A low pressure system developing in the mid Mississippi River valley
on Monday is forecast to move northeast along a stationary front
stretching across the west central Great Lakes Monday night and
Tuesday. Depending on the track of this low... a band of moderate to
heavy wet snow is likely to fall over at least portions of the west
half of Upper Michigan Monday night and Tuesday morning. Locations
over western Upper Michigan from Ironwood to Rockland... Houghton and
Mohawk have the best chance of picking up 6 to 9 inches of wet snow
during this time. Areas to the east of a line from Marquette to
Crystal Falls are likely to see mainly rain during this event.

Although details are far from certain concerning this late season
winter storm... there is an increasing potential that travel
disruptions will occur over the west half of Upper Michigan Monday
night and Tuesday morning.

Record Low Temperatures

Record low temperature set yesterday...

The low temperature yesterday at the Marquette National Weather
Service office was 10 degrees. This breaks the old record of 13
degrees set on April 22nd 1983.

Weather records for the Marquette National Weather Service office
located in Negaunee township date back to 1961.


... Record minimum temperature set at Alpena mi...

a record minimum temperature of 17 degrees Fahrenheit was set at
the Alpena County Regional Airport in Alpena mi this morning... April
21st 2013. This broke the old record of 19 set in 1981.


Record low temperature set at Flint mi ...

a record low temperature of 23 degrees was set at Flint mi today.
This breaks the old record of 25 set in 1981.

Extremely Late Winter Storm Sets All Records Across The Country

An incredible temperature contrast across
 the state of Texas on April 9, 2013.

While snowstorms in April are not uncommon the latest winter storm that hit the week of April 7th, 2013  certainly produced its share of odd weather.

The driving distance from Dalhart, Texas, in the northern Texas Panhandle, to Laredo along the Rio Grande River, is roughly 750 miles, or just over 11 hours.

That said, an incredible temperature contrast set up on April 9.

Just before midnight, Dalhart bottomed out at 22 degrees behind a plunging cold front.   For perspective, the all-time April record low, there, is 17 degrees.

In Laredo, the daytime high was 108 degrees.  Last year, Laredo didn't warm to 108 degrees or warmer until June 10.

That makes an 86 degree temperature contrast across the state of Texas on April 9.

The epicenter for the heaviest snowfall from Winter Storm Walda was in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  Not unusual for an April storm.

In this case, it was the snowfall rate that was very impressive.

At the Rapid City, S.D. airport, 20 inches of snow fell on April 9.  That set a new calendar-day snowfall record for that location, topping April 18, 1970 (15.6").  Records at the airport only date to 1942, however.

The final snowstorm total at the airport site was 28.2 inches, which also blew away the record heaviest snowstorm at that site (previously 18" on Apr. 22, 2001).

A much longer period of record is in place for Downtown Rapid City.  There, the storm total of 22.4 inches was the second heaviest snowstorm on record, there, topped only by a 32.1 inch snowstorm from April 12-15, 1927.

If you melt down the snow, the 1.21 inches of "liquid equivalent" precipitation on April 9 was the single "wettest" calendar day in Rapid City since May 19, 2011.  Certainly desperately needed for drought relief.

Due to the heavy snow in the west, and ice to the east, a roughly 350-mile stretch of Interstate 90 was shut down from Rapid City to Sioux Falls.

The ice storm photo at right is not unusual, for, say, January or February.

A more "typical" April storm might have a sliver of heavy, wet snow on the northwest or western periphery of the storm's precipitation shield.  So, precipitation types are most often either rain or wet snow.

The above right photo was taken in Sioux Falls, S.D., where significant icing downed tree limbs on April 9.  That would be unusual enough.

Then, on April 10, freezing rain broke out from northwest Texas into Oklahoma and points north.  One quarter inch of ice in trees was observed in Weatherford and Enid, Okla.

Light icing was even reported by KFDX in Wichita Falls, Texas early on April 10.

According to Rick Smith, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service

 Forecast Office in Norman, Oklahoma, the April 10, 2013 freezing rain event in Oklahoma City was the second latest freezing rain/freezing drizzle event in the spring in records dating to 1930.  The only later event, there, was Apr. 17-18, 1953.

In this case, the polar cold front was so strong, and the upper-level trough remained anchored over the southern Rockies, such that precipitation that would more typically be rain, was occurring behind the front as freezing rain.

 

 

 

 

We're all used to severe thunderstorms on days with warm and humid air in place.
It's not unusual for severe thunderstorms with large hail north of a warm front, as elevated instability can support the growth of large hailstones even if the surface air is "relatively cool".
What we saw with this storm, however, was amazing.

• Grand Island, Neb. and Hays, Kan. reported hail up to nickel-size with surface temperatures around 28 degrees.
• There were several reports of tornadoes near Akron, Colo. the evening of April 8.  Following a peak wind gust to 79 mph, surface temperatures crashed through the 40s into the 30s on the eastern Plains of Colorado that evening.
• One location in central Nebraska reported hail with a surface temperature of 18 degrees!

At those temperatures, you would expect to shovel snow, not hail!

The Wyoming state capital of  Cheyenne had a high temperature of only 12 degrees on Tuesday during the early morning hours. This is the third lowest April high temperature in Cheyenne weather records dating back to 1871. Late on Tuesday night, the low temperature dipped to a daily record low for April 9th of 6 degrees.

Cheyenne set a third temperature record early Wednesday morning with a daily record low for April 10 of 5 degrees. On top of these three temperature records, Cheyenne also picked up 9 inches of snow and had wind gusts up to 42 mph.

Temperatures fell below zero in the southeast Wyoming town of  Laramie right before midnight on Tuesday.
By early Wednesday morning, Laramie had bottomed out at 5 degrees below zero, setting a new daily record low for April 10. This also ties as the seventh coldest April low temperature in  Laramie weather records dating back to 1948.

A bit farther south, the Mile-High City illustrated its reputation for big temperature swings.

Denver is known for its wild temperature.

After a high of 71 degrees on Monday at 2 p.m. EDT, the temperature had fallen to 22 degrees by midnight Tuesday. That 22-degree temperature reading at midnight ended up being the high temperature for Tuesday, which ties as the sixth coldest April high temperature on record. The low on Tuesday fell all the way to 9 degrees late in the evening, which set a new daily record low for April 9.

The Mile-High City set yet another temperature record on Wednesday morning with a daily record low of 6 degrees for April 10. In addition, this 6 degree temperature reading ties as the fourth coldest April low temperature in Denver weather records dating back to 1872.

Very large hail in the Plains is not uncommon during the spring. What is unusual in this case is that Omaha, Nebraska,saw very large hailstones up to two inches in diameter with temperatures in the middle 30s on Tuesday evening! Not the kind of temperatures you would expect to see with hail this large.

The hail caused damage to roofs, cars and windshields according to this article from the Omaha World-Herald.

Ahead of the cold front associated with this storm., Abilene, Texas  saw temperatures rise all the way to 93 degrees around 4 p.m. CDT Tuesday. Just eight hours later near midnight, the temperature had plummeted to 37 degrees. By Wednesday morning, Abilne was reporting freezing rain and thunder.

Late Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service in San Angelo, Texas, mentioned reports of light sleet and freezing rain accumulations on elevated or grassy surfaces, "but the roads seem to be in pretty good order thanks to yesterday's 90s."

We've touched on the cold in a couple of other Wyoming cities earlier.

In Casper, Wyo., April 9, 2013, the "high" temperature topped out at a mere 13 degrees.  This set a new record coldest daily high temperature for April, dating to 1939.  The old record coldest April high, there, was 16 degrees on April 11, 1997 and April 2, 1945.

During the winter of 2012-2013, only three January days in Casper had high temperatures colder than April 9.  In fact, no February 2013 day in Casper featured a colder high temperature than what was observed on April 9.

Still not impressed?  Casper's high temperature matched that of Fairbanks, Alaska on April 9.  And Fairbanks was in a cold snap itself!  Their high of 13 degrees was three degrees colder than their average low for the day!



A LATE-SEASON OUTBREAK OF ARCTIC AIR IS IN PROGRESS ACROSS THE U.S.

A LATE-SEASON OUTBREAK OF ARCTIC AIR IS IN PROGRESS ACROSS THE EASTERN U.S. WHILE MOISTURE FROM A LARGE PACIFIC STORM MOVES ACROSS THE CENTRAL ROCKIES AND OUT INTO THE PLAINS BY TUESDAY... A LATE-SEASON OUTBREAK OF ARCTIC AIR IS BEGINNING TO INVADE THE NORTHERN U.S. THIS EASTER SUNDAY. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DIP WELL BELOW NORMAL FOR NEXT FEW DAYS OVER THE EASTERN TWO-THIRDS OF THE COUNTRY. IN FACT...AREAS NEAR THE CANADIAN BORDER IN MINNESOTA AND NORTH DAKOTA CAN EXPERIENCE TEMPERATURES DIPPING BELOW ZERO BY TUESDAY MORNING. IN THE EASTERN U.S...RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRECEDE AN OLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY WHICH WILL STEADILY PUSH EASTWARD INTO THE ATLANTIC TONIGHT AND INTO MONDAY. SHOWERS AND SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD ALSO ACCOMPANY THE TAIL END OF THIS FRONT WHICH WILL SLOWLY SINK SOUTHWARD INTO THE DEEP SOUTH ON MONDAY AND BEGINS TO WEAKEN AND DISSIPATE ON TUESDAY. THE ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL QUICKLY ADVANCE ACROSS THE EASTERN U.S. IN THE WAKE OF THE OLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY...TRIGGERING SNOW SHOWERS IN THE GREAT LAKES AS WELL AS THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS INTO NEW ENGLAND. OUT WEST...PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH A LARGE BUT WEAKENING OCEAN STORM HAS MOVED INTO A GOOD PORTION OF CALIFORNIA WITH SCATTERED MODERATE RAIN SHOWERS. THE UPPER-LEVEL FLOW WILL THEN CARRY THE MOISTURE EASTWARD THROUGH THE CENTRAL ROCKIES ON MONDAY. BY TUESDAY...THE UPPER-LEVEL ENERGY WILL BEGIN TO EXIT THE ROCKIES AND INTO THE PLAINS AS THE ARCTIC AIR MASS ARRIVES FROM THE NORTH AND EAST. THIS SETUP WILL RE-INVIGORATE THE SYSTEM...RESULTING IN A NEW ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS. IN ADDITION...TEMPERATURES WILL BE COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE PRECIPITATION SHIELD.