Storm set to unleash extreme weather
Winter shows tenacity in Plains and Midwest
A powerhouse storm was forecast to bring a variety of wild weather to much of the USA through the weekend.
On the colder side of the storm, heavy snow was likely to cause blizzard conditions in the northern Plains and Upper Midwest. Some spots could get up to 20 inches of snow. Winds gusting as high as 50 mph could cause whiteout conditions from the blowing snow, the National Weather Service in Rapid City, S.D., warned.
The heaviest snow was forecast across northern Nebraska, much of South Dakota and western Minnesota. Flights in and out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport will probably be delayed or canceled Saturday.
“The strong wind aspect of the storm, in lieu of snow, can lead to power outages and property damage over a broad area of the Plains,” according to AccuWeather meteorologist Rich Putnam.
Freezing rain could lead to an ice storm around the northern Great Lakes, along with northern New York state and northern New England.
The Weather Channel named the system Winter Storm Xanto.
To the south, an outbreak of severe thunderstorms was forecast for portions of the central and southern Plains to the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee Valleys. “The storms may bring the full spectrum of severe weather, ranging from high winds, large hail, flash flooding, frequent lightning strikes and perhaps a tornado,” AccuWeather warned.
The same storm system was likely to produce heavy rainfall from eastern Texas to western Kentucky, packing the potential for 1 to 3 inches of rain through early Saturday, the weather service said. Flash flooding was possible in Arkansas and Louisiana.
Summer-like warmth will spread up the East Coast on Friday and Saturday, all the way to New England, where record high temperatures were possible.