‘Bomb cyclone’ sets records; rapid snowmelt; spring-like 50s next week
This week's 'bomb cyclone' looks impressive from space. It's a meteorological beast.
The intense storm ripped across several states and set some records. The storm's central pressure dipped to 968 millibars as it pulled out of eastern Colorado into Kansas. It looks like the storm set the record for the lowest pressure in Colorado, pending verification.
The intense storm also set wind and pressure records in Denver.
Raging blizzard
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The forecast for an intense blizzard panned out from Colorado through Nebraska into the Dakotas and northwest Minnesota. It's been brutal out there.
Winter weather advisories are up until 1 a.m. Friday for many locations:
Including the cities of Crookston, East Grand Forks, Ada,
Twin Valley, Halstad, Hallock, Karlstad, Lancaster, Roseau,
Warroad, Greenbush, Warren, Stephen, Argyle, Newfolden,
Middle River, Grygla, Thief River Falls, Red Lake Falls, Fosston,
Fertile, McIntosh, Erskine, Cavalier, Walhalla, Drayton, Pembina,
Neche, St. Thomas, Grafton, Park River, Lakota, Mcville, Aneta,
Tolna, Grand Forks, Cooperstown, Finley, Hope, Mayville,
Hillsboro, Hatton, Portland, Valley City, Lisbon, Enderlin,
Gwinner, Milnor, Forman, and Rutland
336 PM CDT Thu Mar 14 2019
...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS
EVENING...
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS
EVENING TO 1 AM CDT FRIDAY...
* WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected, mainly in open country.
Additional snow accumulations of up to one inch. Winds gusting
as high as 55 mph.
* WHERE...Portions of northwest Minnesota and northeast and
southeast North Dakota.
* WHEN...For the Blizzard Warning, until 7 PM CDT this evening.
For the Winter Weather Advisory, from 7 PM this evening to 1
AM CDT Friday.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Plan on slippery road conditions.
Widespread blowing snow will significantly reduce visibility
in open country. The hazardous conditions could impact the
evening commute. Strong winds could cause tree damage.
The Minnesota State Patrol advised no travel in parts of northwest Minnesota Thursday.
Roads drifted shut, and high winds blew billboards down near Fargo, N.D.
Southern Minnesota: Rapid snowmelt
The milder air and rainfall eroded an amazing 9 inches of snow at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport over the past two days. Yes, the snow piles are indeed dwindling fast.
Heavy rainfall
Surface reports and Doppler radar indicate anywhere from a half inch to 2 inches of rain across southern Minnesota with this storm.
Spring-like next week
The upper air pattern across North America finally looks like spring next week. The jet stream is lifting north into Canada. It finally looks like a sustained push of milder Pacific air is on the way.
All major models crank out highs from the 40s into the 50s next week. A few models hit at 60 degrees for southern Minnesota next Friday.
I can't say we're done with snow for the season. But right now models suggest no significant snow events for the next one to two weeks. It appears we've turned at least the first corner into spring.
Stay tuned.