Active weather can be expected across the country on Tuesday as two separate storm systems will likely cause disruptions to post-holiday travel plans. One system will bring rain and snow to the Pacific Northwest. Where rain will likely fall across the lower elevations from Washington to Oregon and snow along the higher elevation of the Cascades. The other system will sit across the central Plains and slowly move toward the Great Lakes. Given its larger size, snow will fall from South Dakota to Kansas, eastern Colorado, Missouri, and Iowa. The heaviest snowfall will likely accumulate across central South Dakota and north-central Nebraska. In addition to snow, freezing rain will also be a concern from eastern Nebraska to eastern South and North Dakota, as well as southwestern to northeastern Minnesota. This storm will also yield a large area of rain and thunderstorms from the Great Lakes to the Southeast. Some of the heaviest rain will likely fall from Virginia to the Carolinas, creating a concern for flooding.
A wide range of afternoon high temperatures will exist across the country today due to the two storm systems. Temperatures in the teens and 20s will be felt from the Colorado Rockies to parts of the central Plains. A larger area of 30s and 40s will stretch from the Pacific Northwest, Intermountain West, northern and central Plains, Upper Midwest, and Northeast. Temperatures in the 50s and 60s will occur from the central valley of California, through the Desert Southwest, southern Texas, coastal parts of the Gulf Coast states and the Ohio Valley, Southeast, and coastal Mid-Atlantic. Highs in the 70s will be common across Florida.
By Wednesday, another wave of moisture will strike the Pacific Northwest where rain will be the dominant feature, rather than mountain snow due to warmer temperatures aloft. The larger storm system across the Great Lakes will move toward the Northeast. In its wake, some snow will linger across the Upper Midwest and Ohio Valley. Meanwhile, showers will spread into the Northeast.
Afternoon high temperatures on Wednesday will be similar to Tuesday. The coolest temperatures will sit in the 20s and 30s across the high elevations in the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, Rocky Mountains, and parts of the northern and central Plains. Temperatures in the 40s and 50s will be felt in the lower elevations of the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West, along the Front Range, most of the Plains, Upper Midwest, Ohio Valley, and Northeast. Warmer 50s and 60s will reach into the central valley of California, Desert Southwest, southern Texas, southern parts of the Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic. Florida will be the warmest state with temperatures in the 70s.
Snow and rain across the Pacific Northwest will likely start to taper off early Thursday morning, but the eastern part of the U.S. will see ongoing snow showers as an upper level low pressure system sits over the Great Lakes. Snowfall accumulations will likely occur from the Upper Midwest through the Great Lakes, and into northern parts of the Northeast. Afternoon high temperatures on Thursday are not expected to deviate too much compared to Wednesday.
Snow will continue across the eastern U.S. on Friday and through Monday as the upper-level low pressure continues to spin around the Great Lakes. Another area of low pressure will deliver rain and snow across the Northwest as well during this time.
Afternoon highs Friday through Monday will generally be in the teens and 20s in the higher elevations of the Rocky Mountains as well as parts of the northern Plains and Upper Midwest. Temperatures in the 30s and 40s will occur from the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, Intermountain West, Front Range, parts of the central Plains, Ohio Valley, and Northeast. Temperatures in the 50s and 60s will occur across their usual spots in the central valley of California, Desert Southwest, parts of the southern Plains, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic.
