Weather across America

(NATIONAL) Heavy snow from the Central Plains to the Mid-Atlantic with damaging ice and freezing rain and an enhanced risk (level 3/5) of severe thunderstorms over parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley.

A significant storm over the Southern Plains will move eastward to the Mid-Atlantic Coast by Monday evening. The storm will produce heavy snowfall and wind gusts exceeding 40 mph, creating blizzard conditions in parts of Kansas and Missouri. 

The snow will significantly reduce visibilities, and snowfall amounts will surpass 15 inches (the heaviest in a decade), which will make travel extremely hazardous, with impassable roads. 

Additionally, a band of 8-14 inches of snow is expected to extend from northeast Missouri through the Central Appalachians, with a few inches of sleet likely in southern Illinois and Indiana. Travelers should anticipate significant disruptions along this path. Significant icing/freezing rain will spread from central Kansas through the Central Appalachians into Monday.

Dangerous travel conditions, widespread tree damage, and prolonged power outages are expected along this corridor. Some regions may experience ice accumulations exceeding half an inch. On Monday, moderate to heavy snow will extend from southern Illinois to the Mid-Atlantic. In addition, widespread light freezing rain will also extend from Kentucky to the Mid-Atlantic. The snow will wind down by Tuesday morning, with light snow over parts of the Central Appalachians.  

On Sunday, as the associated front crosses the Southern Plains and moves into the Lower Mississippi Valley, severe thunderstorms will develop over parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley. Therefore, the SPC has issued an Enhanced Risk (level 3/5) of severe thunderstorms over parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley through Monday morning. The hazards associated with these thunderstorms are frequent lightning, severe thunderstorm wind gusts, hail, and a few tornadoes.

Strong to severe thunderstorms will develop over parts of the Southeast as the boundary moves into the Southeast on Monday. The SPC has issued a marginal risk (level 1/5) of severe thunderstorms over parts of the Southeast from Monday into Tuesday morning. The hazards associated with these thunderstorms are frequent lightning, severe thunderstorm wind gusts, a few tornados, and a minimal threat of hail.

Meanwhile, cold air moving over the Great Lakes and upper-level energy over the Great Lakes and Northeast will create moderate to heavy lake-effect snow downwind from Lake Ontario through Monday morning. 

Light to moderate lake-effect snow will develop downwind from the Upper Great Lakes and Lake Erie through Tuesday morning. Weak onshore flow and multiple weakening fronts move onshore over the Northwest. The systems will produce coastal rain and higher-elevation snow over parts of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California through Monday afternoon. Light snow will continue over the Northern Intermountain Region, the Great Basin, and the Northern Rockies overnight Monday.