Clipper System Will Bring More Blowing Snow

Our up and down trend in temperature will continue through this weekend before things turn colder for next week. A couple more clippers will pass through the area for the next couple of days. One on Friday, and a second one overnight Saturday into Sunday. Our first clipper will enter the area overnight Thursday. It's not going to be a big snow-making, but it will deliver a good punch with strong winds gusting into the 50-60 mph range Friday. This will give the potential for another ground blizzard situation, and it is looking likely. We're only looking at about a quarter-inch to half-inch of snow in the southern/central valley. The northern valley has better potential for closer to an inch of snow. But look at what happened last Friday with our previous ground blizzard. A light dusting of snow turned into quite the mess with the 50-60 mph gusts. Something similar to last Friday is going to play out again this Friday.

Overnight Thursday, temperatures will rise through the teens, with south winds will increase 20-40 mph. A few light show showers will track through the valley along a warm front into Friday morning as the wind turns more WSW. By late Friday morning-early Friday afternoon, a cold front will barrel through. Turning wind from the northwest 20-40 mph and gusting as high as 60 mph with a few scattered snow flurries possible into the afternoon. Blizzard conditions are an actual and likely possibility. Therefore, a winter storm watch has been issued from Thursday night and Friday.

Over the weekend, it remains breezy, temps in the 20's Saturday and a few low 30's possible, and some more snow showers entering the area overnight. Sunday a little cooler, temps in the teens with another chance for snow. Snow totals don't look too impressive as of now. Around an inch seems likely, with slightly more north and west, 1-3". 

We have mentioned a potential snowmaker for Monday into Tuesday of next week. It is still too far out to draw a conclusion, but a band of 6+" looks possible either in central/southern North Dakota or South Dakota into Minnesota. I'm leaning that the heaviest snow may very well dip further south into South Dakota. High pressure and cold air looming to our north will generally deflect the path of a storm system south, but as I mentioned in yesterday's article, "it's too early to say for sure, and a lot can and probably will change over a few days", so remember to check back for updates through the week.

 

Meteorologist,

Justin Storm