Weather

A power-house, early-spring storm to unload high wind, severe weather & snow for many

Across the Corn Belt, unusual warmth prevails in advance of an approaching storm system.  In fact, Friday’s maximum temperatures will top 80°F in parts of the Ohio and middle Mississippi Valleys.  With winds increasing, an elevated wildfire threat is overspreading in parts of the southwestern Corn Belt, as several dry days have allowed finer fuels to cure.  Elsewhere, scattered showers have begun to develop in the upper Great Lakes region, including parts of Wisconsin.

On the Plains, the southeastern half of the region is bracing for a day of potentially explosive wildfire activity, with very low humidity levels and wind gusts as high as 90 mph possible in parts of western Texas.  A broader area of the central and southern Plains should experience sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts ranging from 50 to 80 mph.  Meanwhile, cooler air is overspreading Montana, accompanied by a few showers.

In the South, warm, dry weather continues to support spring fieldwork, as well as development of winter grains and fruit crops.  Friday’s high temperatures will broadly top 80°F, except in the middle Atlantic States.  Meanwhile, windy weather is arriving west of the Mississippi River, well in advance of an approaching cold front.

In the West, one storm system is shifting east of the Rockies, with lingering wind- and snow-related impacts.  Meanwhile, a new disturbance is sparking precipitation along and near the West Coast, particularly in northern and central California.