Winter Blast Brings Blizzards and High Winds to Western U.S. and Plains

A winter storm moving from the West towards the Plains will cause extensive strong winds that might lead to blowing dust, an increased risk of wildfires, and potential blizzard conditions.

The cold aspect of this system has been referred to as Winter Storm Marisol As reported by The Weather Channel, we anticipate a significant surge in severe thunderstorms from Friday through the weekend across the Midwest, South, and Eastern regions due to the warmer sector of the storm.

(MORE: Severe Outbreak Forecast )

Widespread High Wind Threat

The most extensive effect of this storm in regions such as the Southwest, Great Plains, and Midwest will stem primarily from its broad-reaching high winds, affecting places where snowfall and rainfall may not occur at all. According to the National Weather Service, significant wind advisories have been activated across large parts of the Plains area, particularly highlighted by dark purple zones on their maps. Areas under these warnings encompass cities like Dallas, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Amarillo. Wind speeds reaching up to 80 miles per hour might hit these localities. Some sections within the panhandle regions of both Texas and Oklahoma could experience even stronger gusts.

Areas indicated with lighter purple shades might experience wind gusts exceeding 40 mph.

Let's examine the scheduling along with potential effects.

-Friday: A significant portion of the Plains, much of the Midwest, and sections of the Southwest can expect powerful winds with gusts exceeding 40 or 50 miles per hour. In certain regions within the Southern Plains under National Weather Service high wind warnings, these gusts could soar above 70 or possibly reach up to 80 miles per hour. Areas included in these high wind advisories may experience fallen trees and branches, electricity blackouts, and large vehicles being pushed off roadways.

These gusts might stir up additional blowing dust, causing abrupt decreases in visibility. Additionally, they could exacerbate any ignited fires, turning them into quickly expanding wildfire threats that may endanger structures. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center has issued warnings about “critical fire weather conditions” on Friday extending across portions of west Texas through southern Kansas, encompassing areas like the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan region, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Wichita. This situation poses concerns for many residents in these zones. highest fire weather threat since 2009.

-Weekend: Strong winds will be experienced in the Midwest along with sections of the Northern and Southern Plains on Saturday. Additionally, there’s a possibility that the East might encounter powerful, gusty breezes when the cold front moves through, bringing rainfall to the area on Sunday.

Timing The Wintry Weather

Currently, the storm is advancing with heavy rainfall and mountain snow from the Sierra Nevada all the way to Utah's Wasatch Front.

There could be some snow squalls in the Four Corners area until early Friday. Following this, areas in the Northern Plains such as portions of northern Nebraska, the eastern Dakotas, and western and northern Minnesota may experience rainfall turning into snow from Friday night continuing through Saturday.

Just behind this system, an additional storm will bring further rainfall and mountain snowfall to California and the Pacific Northwest continuing until Friday.

In general, snowfall amounts will remain relatively modest throughout much of the Western region due to these two weather systems moving through. However, some areas within the high altitudes of the Sierra Nevada, Cascade Range, and Rocky Mountains may receive accumulations exceeding one foot.

To the east, a thin band covering possibly up to 6 inches or more of snow might extend into western Minnesota and the eastern parts of North Dakota and South Dakota. However, the primary worry lies in the potent winds working alongside this snowfall, which have the potential to generate severe localized blizzards. This hazardous weather condition will likely result in treacherous traveling environments, notably around sections of Highways I-29, I-90, and I-94 within those regions.

Chris Dolce He has served as a senior digital meteorologist at weather.com for almost 15 years since starting his career at The Weather Channel in the early 2000s.