Big Southeastern Storm This Weekend, Smaller Systems Into Next Week

In the Midwest, a couple of clippers have moved through this week but with little precipitation. Cold air moving over the Great Lakes has meant nearly continuous lake-effect snow, however. That continues through the weekend. A small clipper will move through the region Sunday and Monday and may bring some more snow to northwestern areas.

In the Northern Plains, it has been fairly dry this week, but cold air moving down through the Dakotas is clashing with warmer air in Montana to create a band of snow in the middle of the region that continues through Friday. Some localized moderate amounts are possible. A clipper will move through this weekend with more organized and widespread precipitation, which is needed to battle increasing drought.

In the Central and Southern Plains, it was quiet this week with very little precipitation. Though some snow may fall across Nebraska through Saturday, most of the region will stay drier into next week. Another small system may bring some showers to the region on Tuesday or Wednesday.

In the Delta, last weekend’s winter storm helped to ease some of the drought in the region, but it remains in a lot of areas as well. Very little precipitation is forecast into next week which will not be helpful. A small system in the middle of next week could bring through some scattered showers, though.

In the Southeast, it has been drier this week. However, a small clipper moving through the country will develop into an intense storm system just off the Carolina Coast, bringing some heavy snow to the Carolinas and vicinity Friday night and Saturday. An unusually heavy snowfall event is in the forecast. Afterward, dry conditions are expected until maybe the middle of next week.

In the Western U.S., some light showers have been moving through the Pacific Northwest this week, but most areas have remained dry outside of the mountains. That continues through the weekend before the region goes through another extended dry stretch. The last several weeks have been disappointing with precipitation amounts in a lot of the region, and the return to drought development and expansion is looking more likely considering the medium-range forecast. The region may have to wait another two weeks to get more active again.

John Baranick can be reached at john.baranick@dtn.com