Intense Spring Storm to Plaster Plains with Record April Snow

[malaise]

Stay safe DUers


https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/Intense-Spring-Storm-Plaster-Plains-Record-April-Snow?cm_ven=cat6-widget
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Much like the infamous “bomb cyclone” of mid-March, another intense storm will wrap up across the central Plains from Wednesday into Thursday, bringing widespread blizzard conditions to its north and threatening snowfall and low-pressure records for April. Some locations may break all-time records for any two-day snow event.

Dubbed Wesley by the Weather Channel, the surface storm had already met the definition of a meteorological bomb on Wednesday morning when adjusted for latitude (see discussion below). Wesley was organizing in eastern Colorado ahead of a powerful upper-level trough sweeping through the Rockies. Models are calling for the surface low to intensify as it drifts into Kansas by Thursday, then gradually weaken as it heads across Iowa and Wisconsin by Friday.

While this storm is not expected to reach the depths of low pressure attained by the March storm, it’ll still pack a formidable punch. A cold surface high nosing in from central Canada will keep surface temperatures cold enough to support snow, as rich moisture flows into the storm from just above the surface and converges along a frontal zone extending northeast from the surface low. Snowfall rates of 1” to 3” per hour could occur, especially in the peak snow zone across eastern South Dakota and southwest Minnesota.

On the forward flank of Wesley, snowfall had already totaled 10”-12” over parts of South Dakota as of Wednesday morning. “Heavy snow is reducing visibility to just a few feet and roads are becoming impassable,” warned the sheriff’s offices of Hamlin and Deuel counties in South Dakota at midday Wednesday.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. Here in southeast Minnesota. ......

We had dark skies with thunder and lightening this morning. Freezing rain, more snow, now high winds. Roads are dangerous and no school.

Weird.

[malaise]

2. Take care

[NickB79]

3. I made it one mile from home this morning towards Farmington

Then whiteout conditions and 40 mph wind caused me to go into the ditch. 2 hr and a $140 towing bill later, back on the road. Got to Highway 3, cars in the ditch everywhere. Almost hit head on by a fishtailing pickup. I called work and told them I'm not coming in.

[malaise]

4. Holy Crap

Glad you're OK

[MineralMan]

5. In the Twin Cities proper, we've had just over 6" of very

wet, heavy snow. I just came in from shoveling off the walkways on our residential property. It's too damned windy to run the snowblower right now, so I'll do that a bit later in the day. Judging by the snow I shoveled, the blower will handle this snow OK, but slowly. I'm not looking forward to it, frankly.

In other parts of the state, even more snow fell, and blizzard conditions prevailed.

The only good news, really, is that it will warm up starting this weekend and the snow will be gone in just days.