Winter Storm Xerxes Hits Northern Plains This April

After Winter Storm Walda just few days ago, here comes Winter Storm Xerxes, bothering the Northern Plains this April 2013.

Saturday night

– Snow spreads from the High Plains of eastern Mont., northeast Wyo. into the southern two-thirds of N.D., extreme northern S.D., and western/central Minn. Snow will become heavy along the I-94 corridor in N.D. and, perhaps, northwest Minn.
– Snow will change over to sleet and/or freezing rain in northeast S.D. and parts of southern Minn.
– Precipitation may begin in the Twin Cities before dawn Sunday.

Sunday

– Heavy snow continues in N.D. and spreads into northern Minn.
– Strong east to northeast winds may lead to areas of blowing and drifting snow and reduced visibility.
– Freezing drizzle, freezing rain, or sleet may spread into parts of northern Wisc. and the U.P. of Mich. Freezing rain may either end or change to light rain before all precipitation ends from northeast S.D. to central Minn.

Sunday night into Monday

– Snow in N.D. and northern Minn. tapers off to just lingering light snow by Monday morning.
– Stubborn pockets of freezing rain in far northern Wisc. and the U.P. of Mich. may change over to rain before ending by Monday morning.

The heaviest snow will pile up primarily from extreme eastern Montana into North Dakota and northwest Minnesota, where snowfall totals in excess of six inches are likely. Parts of North Dakota may locally approach or exceed one foot of new snowfall by Monday morning.

Keeping in mind parts of the Peace Garden State only average 3 to 5 inches of snow during the month of April, this is quite impressive.

Unfortunately, this fresh new snow will only add to the spring flood worries, including the Red River Valley.

Amazingly, parts of South Dakota and Minnesota may see another ice event, in April!

This time, any initial snow may change to sleet or freezing rain, as mentioned above, in northeast South Dakota, central Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and the U.P. of Michigan.

Ice amounts of one-quarter inch or more are possible in some spots, potentially leading to slippery roads, sagging tree limbs, and perhaps some power outages. That said, as mentioned above, the duration of freezing rain may limit the impact, as it is expected to either end or change to rain quickly.

SOURCE Weather Channel