A triple threat of winter storms was roaring toward the nation’s midsection Sunday, threatening travel headaches through the week as the Upper Midwest hunkered down in biting cold and wind chills that could reach minus-50 degrees.
At least three storms will be responsible for the threat of ice and snow from Sunday through Thursday, AccuWeather reported. The storms will be fueled by moisture coming off the Gulf of Mexico, and colder air sweeping south. In some areas the precipitation will be almost constant for days, AccuWeather said.
“Cold air will plunge far enough south to set up a weather battle zone much of the week,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.
One major concern is for a glaze of ice that could cause dangerous travel conditions from eastern Oklahoma into northwestern Arkansas and southern Missouri, he said.
In some places, it’s just ridiculously cold. The National Weather Service office in Pocatello, Idaho, warned of highs Sunday struggling to climb above -10°F in some areas.
“Tonight, everyone will see single and double digits below zero,” the office tweeted. “Coldest temperatures will fall into the -30s with wind chills down to -50°F.
WEEKEND WEATHER UPDATES:Wind chill and winter storm warnings work their way across the country
Other developments:
►Snow could reach as far east as New York state Sunday and Monday.
►In Arkansas, up to 16 inches of snow was already reported in the Ozarks in recent days.
Bitter cold descends on parts of Midwest
A cold front cutting across the Plains and Midwest drove temperatures below zero in some areas. Wind chills Sunday in parts of Colorado were well below zero in many areas, in some dipping as -20°F. The National Weather Service office in Cheyenne, Wyoming, warned that most areas of the state would stay in the single digits or colder Sunday, and all will drop below zero Sunday night.
“BRRR! Our area is in the freezer today as bitter cold and snow continue,” the office tweeted.
Texas, Gulf Coast states could see tornadoes, hail
The weather service in Dallas-Fort Worth warned of freezing rain expected this upcoming week, tweeting “now is the time to prepare!” The best chance of dangerous weather is Monday night into Tuesday.
Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms were possible across parts of East Texas and the Gulf Coast states, the weather service warned. Some hail may occur with thunderstorms in Texas, and locally damaging winds and “perhaps a tornado or two” could storm across the region, the weather service said.
