Major Winter Storm Affecting Much of the U.S.

EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS

POWERFUL WINTER STORM has engulfed much of the U.S. as a major icing event looms

Multiple warnings are in effect for extreme weather as a powerful storm system ploughs across the country dumping massive snow and plunging temperatures to dangerously low values.

Portions of Minnesota have already reported up to 2 feet of snow, more snow expected.The snowstorm has contributed to hundreds of traffic accidents around the state, including at least five fatal crashes between Monday and Wednesday.

The Warnings, Watches and Advisories include Ice Storm Warning, Winter Storm Warning, High Wind Warning, Avalanche Warning, Flood Warning, Gale Warning, Wind Chill Warning, Hard Freeze Warning, Freeze Warning, Hazardous Weather Outlook, Freezing Rain Advisory, Winter Storm Watch, Freeze Watch, Special Weather Statement, Air Quality Alert and many others.

Extreme Weather Highlights

• Major icing event is forecast across the Arklatex and into southern Missouri and Illinois from noon Thursday.

• Heavy snow and icing will continue to impact the Upper Midwest and Upper Great Lakes.

• Arctic intrusion will plunge temperatures by as much as 35 degrees below normal to much of the western/central states.

• Portions of Minnesota have already reported up to 2 feet of snow, more snow expected.
  • The snowstorm  has contributed to hundreds of traffic accidents around the state, including at least five fatal crashes between  Monday and Wednesday, AP reported.
    

• Up to half inch of ice accumulations could hit a large region from northeastern Texas through the Ozarks and into southeastern Missouri.

• Hard freeze warnings are in effect for much of the Central Valley in California, as well as southern Nevada and NW Arizona, and cities such as San Diego will experience near record low temperatures.

Minnesota Plagued by Unrelenting Snowstorm

An unrelenting storm that has spread about 2 feet of snow in northeastern Minnesota continued for a third day Wednesday. It has contributed to hundreds of traffic accidents around the state, including at least five fatal crashes since Monday. (AP- December 4, 2013

The Arctic Element

Cold air is plunging into the Western and Central U.S., and heavy snow continues across the Northern Plains and Great Lakes, as the system moves east and south. The Arctic intrusion has brought temperatures to dangerously low values, especially across the Northern Rockies and Northern Plains, with forecast highs in the negative single digits while lows plunge into the -20s Fahrenheit through Saturday. The freezing wind will lower the apparent/wind chill temperatures to the -30s over parts of Montana and North Dakota …. creating temperature contrast along the Arctic front with the northern tier plagued by the frigid readings, while the mercury moving from upper 70s to lower 80s along the Gulf Coast. —NWS Forecast [edited by FIRE-EARTH for brevity.]

U.S. Weather Hazards Map (Hazmap)  for Thursday, December 5, 2013. Source and Update: NWS/CRH. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH Blog.

Recent Extreme Weather Events

• Massive Winter Storm Engulfs Much of Western, Central and Northern U.S. December 4, 2013
• Massive Storm System Impacting Western and Central U.S. December 3, 2013
• Nor’easter Spawned by Deadly Thanksgiving Storm November 27, 2013
• Deadly Thanksgiving Storm Moves East November 26, 2013