Issued at 2:59 PM CDT, Friday, March 27th, 2009
Potential Winter Storm early next week…
A strong area of low pressure is forecast to move into the Northern Rockies this weekend before diving south and east toward the Central Plains early next week. The area of low pressure is then forecast to head northeast toward Central or Eastern Wisconsin around Tuesday or Tuesday Night of next week. Although the exact track of the low is still somewhat uncertain with the forecast models Today, there seems to be better overall agreement Today compared to 24 hours ago with the expected track of this next low pressure system. It appears that temperatures will be cold enough so that precipitation that falls would come down mainly as snow early next week across Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin…Although some rain may mix in with the snow across Northwest Wisconsin depending on how much warm air gets pulled north ahead of the low and also depending on the exact track the low takes. It’s still too early to pinpoint exactly where the heaviest snow band sets up early next week, but it appears right now that it would affect Eastcentral Minnesota through Northwestern Wisconsin… Snow totals in these areas could reach or exceed 6 inches with lesser amounts north of this area…
East to northeast winds will also be on the increase early next week as the strong area of low pressure heads toward Wisconsin and clashes with an area of high pressure which should be situated over Central Canada. Wind speeds from 15 to 25 mph will likely develop with wind gusts possibly over 30 mph…Especially near Lake Superior. Those onshore winds coming off Lake Superior could lead to some lake enhanced snowfall along the North and South Shore of Lake Superior early next week.
Stay tuned for further updates over the next few days as the exact track of the storm could change as well as the timing and intensity.
Winter weather headlines may be needed early next week for portions of Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin should the storm remain on it’s current path.
Right now the timing of this event would fall during the late Monday through Tuesday Evening time frame.
Tim
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