A storm system will develop in the Plains tonight into Tuesday, bringing severe storms and blizzard conditions to the Plains.
This potent disturbance will rapidly develop snow and storms in the central U.S. as it slides off the Rockies tonight, with weather quickly deteriorating from South Dakota to Texas. Residents from eastern Kansas to northern Texas will see strong to severe storms forming along the system's cold front Tuesday morning, while snow and windy conditions set up from Colorado and western Kansas into Nebraska and much of South Dakota.
Tonight and early Tuesday morning could end up stormy from Kansas City and Wichita, Kan. southward through Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Okla. and into Dallas and Abilene, Texas. The threat for damaging winds and tornadoes increases late Tuesday morning through Tuesday night as storms advance eastward across the Lower Mississippi Valley and into the western parts of the Southeast.
The Storm Prediction Center has a Slight Risk tonight from areas near Wichita, Kan., through central Oklahoma and into the North Texas metropolitan area, with Oklahoma City, Okla., along with Wichita Falls and Dallas-Fort Worth under the threat. An even stronger Enhanced Risk will be centered over the Lower Mississippi Valley for the severe weather potential late Tuesday morning through Tuesday evening.
On the northern side of the system, snowfall will be on the light to moderate side for most locations, with a coating to 4 inches of snow possible in much of the northern and central Plains and western Midwest tonight through Tuesday. Some bands of briefly heavy snowfall could lead to localized amounts of 4 to 8 inches from northeastern Colorado and western Nebraska to southern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.
Strong winds accompanying the snow will lead to greatly reduced visibilities in some areas, leading to Blizzard Warnings in northeastern Colorado and western Nebraska. Winter Storm Watches, High Wind Watches, and High Wind Warnings can also be found across the rest of the central and southern High Plains, the central Plains, and parts of the western Midwest.
This system will continue to spread snow and severe storms eastward on Wednesday as it plows through the Midwest and eastern U.S. The same areas will also be vulnerable to strong winds on Wednesday. Some rain and snow showers and breezy conditions will linger in the Eastern U.S. on Thursday.