November storms can be tricky to predict, but aren’t unusual, forecasters say.
Advertisement
Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming could also be hit by a blizzard.
In the Kansas City area, strong southerly winds with gusts around 40 miles per hour will switch to the west/northwest Wednesday evening and remain strong.
A strong autumn storm is spinning up out of the Rockies on Wednesday, and will ignite severe thunderstorms and gale-force winds across the Central USA and Great Lakes.
Blizzard conditions were expected in parts of Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska, the National Weather Service said.
Alan Salyards said truckers coming through his Flying J Travel Plaza near Big Springs, a Nebraska town along the Colorado border, didn’t seem especially concerned. He said ground crews have been able to keep up with the snow.
Eastlack says there are several stations in western Nebraska that are reporting snow.
This image, courtesy of the National Weather Service, shows the difference between a watch and warning.
Officials said tens of millions of residents are in the storm’s anticipated path – many of whom could be left without electricity after the weather passes. No major delays were reported.
There will be very intense wind shear with this system (increase in wind speed, and change in wind direction, with height). Once it passes, however, those winds will return in full force out of the west on Thursday. Temperatures will plunge Wednesday night into Thursday morning to about 20 degrees.
An earlier storm dropped hail on areas of northwest Lancaster County after 10 a.m., marking the beginning of an active weather day.
Advertisement
Thunderstorms are expected to approach western IL after 5 p.m. Scott said the Chicago area will see isolated showers just before 6 p.m. The rain is likely to become more widespread from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. A few thunderstorms may develop and move through the area quickly.
