Meteorologists have just forecast that cold temperatures, combined with a wet weather system, will bring the first winter storm of the season to six states. They are predicting that several inches of “heavier snow” could arrive across the area.
Where ‘Heavier Snow’ is Forecast to Arrive Through Monday
On October 24, AccuWeather issued a forecast it updated today that calls for “the first snowfall of the season upcoming” for six states across the High Plains and Rockies. It predicted that the storm system that brought heavy rain to Southern California will move through parts of Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Montana. There, the system will combine with cold air to create the first snowfall of the season in those areas.
AccuWeather’s forecast calls for the system to bring a “mixture of rain and wet snow over the higher elevations of the Rockies in Colorado and Wyoming.” Additionally, it warns that “heavier snow” will develop as the storm travels through eastern Montana and western Minnesota from Sunday night into Monday night “outside of the highest elevations.”
The report quotes AccuWeather’s Senior Meteorologist Bob Smerbeck, who describes where heavy snow could strike North and South Dakota. “There is the potential for several inches of snow to fall over the Black Hills of South Dakota. A slushy accumulation can occur in Rapid City, South Dakota, especially on non-paved surfaces on Monday, when it is most likely to snow the hardest.” It went on to forecast that snow will accumulate “from eastern Wyoming and northwestern Nebraska to part of southwestern North Dakota.”
AccuWeather’s report noted that the Denver metro area and most of the Colorado River basin should avoid “the bulk” of this system.
Since this system is slated to bring the first snowfall of the season, those who will travel in the affected areas should double-check how ready their vehicles are to handle winter weather conditions. Additionally, anyone traveling through snowy areas is advised to slow down and leave extra space behind vehicles ahead of them, especially on any unpaved roads.
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