A significant storm, featuring hurricane-force winds, is making its way across the U.S., expected to impact over 30 states by week’s end.
This storm is moving out of the Pacific Northwest, where heavy rains intensified already historic flooding in Washington. The storm then progressed into the Northern Plains and northern Rocky Mountains on Wednesday, with wind gusts reaching 50 to 70 mph.
The severe wind gusts further complicated existing power outages caused by flooding in Washington, particularly early Wednesday morning.
At Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Puget Sound, winds clocked in at 111 mph, and Mount Hood, Oregon, recorded gusts of 138 mph.
As of Wednesday morning, more than 350,000 people in Washington and around 200,000 in Oregon were without power.
As the storm spreads, these powerful winds might lead to delays at airports, especially with holiday travel ramping up.
The storm is anticipated to spread eastward across the country, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and some snowfall through the weekend.
Wednesday: Strong winds across the Northern Plains and Northern Rockies
The low-pressure system associated with this storm is likely to unleash wind gusts ranging from 50 to 70 mph across much of Montana and portions of Idaho, Wyoming, and the Dakotas on Wednesday.
In some isolated areas, gusts could escalate to as high as 80 to 90 mph.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued high wind warnings and advisories for all of Montana until Wednesday.
Snowfall and cooler temperatures are expected in the region, which, combined with strong wind gusts, might create hazardous driving conditions.
Conversely, the NWS has issued a fire weather warning for parts of Colorado due to fierce winds. Cities like Denver, Colorado Springs, Boulder, and Pueblo are under this alert.
The combination of winds from the Rocky Mountains and dry conditions means that any spark could lead to rapidly spreading fires.
By Wednesday night, the storm is expected to be clear of the Northwest.
Thursday: Power outages in the Upper Midwest, rain across the Mississippi River Valley
Entering Thursday, the storm-producing low pressure will approach the U.S.-Canada border, while a cold front pushes southward.
Wind gusts over 50 mph and snow will continue to cause concerns for travelers in the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Iowa.
Early Thursday should see rain transitioning to snow by afternoon in the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Michigan, with whiteout conditions expected to complicate travel.
A cold front will also bring rain to the southern Midwest, Mississippi River Valley, and parts of the South on Thursday.
The rain might help melt some of the snow from last week’s winter storm that covered cities like Chicago, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati.
By Thursday night, rain is expected in southern Missouri, Arkansas, and the Tennessee Valley, potentially causing airport delays across central U.S. regions.
Friday: Snow limited to certain areas; I-95 facing closures through the weekend
The final phase of the storm is set to reach the East Coast late Thursday into Friday, as a strong cold front sweeps through.
With the main low-pressure area remaining in Canada, it’s likely that the cold air and snow will stay there. However, areas near Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, as well as parts of the interior Northeast, could experience lake-effect snow.
By Friday morning, heavy rainfall could occur from Maine to Florida.
The rain could lead to localized flash flooding in northern New England due to runoff from melting snow.
NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center has issued a Level 1 out of 4 flash flood risk for northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
Heavy rains accompanied by strong winds are expected along the northeast coast, potentially affecting air traffic at several busy airports.
Meanwhile, warm air could result in severe thunderstorms in Kentucky and Tennessee on Friday morning.
This storm aligns with NOAA’s earlier long-term forecast suggesting a dynamic start to the winter season, partly influenced by the La Niña weather pattern.
