Oct. 28/29 Storm System

A potent storm system will setup a closed upper-level low over the inter-mountain west during the morning hours tomorrow, that will continue to progress northeastward into the northern plains on Thursday.  This upper level low will evolve into a deep trough as the strong flow aloft pushes the closed low onto the plains.  This storm system will bring moderate to heavy snow across the mountainous west as well as the high plains of western Nebraska and South Dakota.  The system will also produce moderate and locally heavy rainfall across the rest of the central and northern Plains through Friday.  This heavy rainfall across the plains is definitely not a welcome site to most areas that continue to try to harvest crops and finish fall projects that have been hampered by intermittent rains throughout the past month.

Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories have been issued across the mountainous west and high plains as snowfall should begin as early as tonight.  Total snowfall accumulations are likely to be in the 6-12 inch range across the high plains, and even higher in the mountain regions and in localized areas.  Widespread precipitation amounts greater than .25-.50 inches are likely across the plains, with localized areas of an inch or greater across the plains through Thursday.  As the event evolves expect widespread rains to also continue across the lower Mississippi River Valley from Thursday and Friday with amounts well above an inch.  This rainfall in conjunction with a secondary low that will likely form ahead of the continued deep trough.  Severe weather is possible across the central and southern plains as early as tomorrow and continuing through Friday.  Although details are still questionable, widespread damaging winds will likely be the main event given such dynamic and strong winds aloft.  Additional details and updates are possible for portions of the plains states as this system evolves.