Just in time for Rudolph to light Santa’s sleigh, a powerful low-pressure system and strong cold front is expected to plow through the Central, Southern and Eastern U.S. over the next few days, increasing the chances for a white Christmas for some.
On Tuesday, the National Weather Service was calling for gusty high winds and snow from the north-central Rockies to the northern Plains. On Wednesday and Thursday, forecasters are expecting the system to sweep through the eastern third of the U.S. with gusty winds, snow, rain and thunderstorms.
Forecasters are tracking a low-pressure system across the northern tier of the U.S. that is predicted to spread precipitation and gusty winds from west to east through Thursday. Snow is likely across the Northwest toward the Northern Plains on Tuesday, with higher elevations of the Northern/Central Rockies possibly seeing several inches of snow.
On Tuesday night, winds are expected to ramp up given the strength of the surface low, and high wind watches are in place across northern and central portions of the Plains.
By Wednesday, snow is likely for the Upper Midwest and toward the Upper Great Lakes region. Accumulations of several inches are expected for northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan’s upper peninsula through Thursday morning.
Farther south, moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will increase Wednesday, leading to rain and thunderstorms ahead of the strong cold front associated with the low-pressure system. Rain totals of over an inch are expected for portions of the lower Mississippi Valley into the Tennessee Valley through Thursday morning, and strong thunderstorms are possible.
The Central Rockies could see temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees below average Wednesday, while warmer-than-normal temperatures are likely to get pushed into the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes ahead of the cold front.
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