Central U.S. Still Under the Threat of Stormy Conditions

A storm system pushing in from the Pacific Ocean will translate to a wet weekend for parts of the Rocky Mountains and into the upper Mississippi Valley. Some of the highest elevations in the Rockies may even pick up some snow out of this weather maker. Here is the latest on this developing situation.

New Storm Will Drop Moisture Across Several States

Several states from the central Rockies and into the upper Mississippi Valley will be under the gun for persistent moisture this weekend at the hands of a massive storm system that originated in the Pacific Ocean. This system is forecast to drop widespread rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches to the region. Some of the areas that see significant rain out of this weekend storm also picked up precipitation earlier in the week, raising the risk of flooding.

Grounds that are already saturated will be most likely to experience flooding issues. The weekend system also has the potential of unleashing a great degree of moisture in a short period of time, possibly overwhelming drainage systems at times. Wet and slick roads could be a concern for motorists using portions of interstates 25, 29, 70, and 80, in addition to parts of U.S. Routes 6, 14, 20, and 83.

It is going to be a rainy weekend for cities along the Colorado Front Range. For example, Denver could pick up 1 - 2 inches of rain throughout Saturday and Sunday. The Mile High City is forecast to see rain pick up late Saturday and linger into Sunday. Rainfall amounts of about a half of an inch are on tap for the overnight hours Saturday.

The arrival of this system will also bring down the mercury to a noticeable degree. After seeing highs near 90 degrees to close out the work week, Denver will top out with readings in the upper 60s on Saturday and the mid 60s on Sunday. Winds will also pick up in intensity, clocking in at speeds of 10 to 20 mph over the weekend.

September Snow Chances?

This is the time of the year when the first flakes start to fly in Colorado. The moisture-rich air still circulating over the Gulf of Mexico tends to pair with the dropping of the mercury to support the development of substantial snow during the fall months in the Rockies.

While temperatures will remain warm enough in Denver to avoid any snow, it will be a different story in the High Country. The snow is forecast to accumulate late Saturday and into Sunday in elevations above 8,500 feet in the northern Colorado Rockies. Accumulating snow could create slippery road conditions along the heavily traveled Interstate 70 near the Eisenhower Tunnel. This tunnel is located about one hour west of the Denver metro area, connecting the city and its suburbs to the many ski resorts in the region.

Although Denver will dodge the snow, the heavy rain will pair with low visibility to create travel disruptions. Air travelers should expect delays in and out of Denver International Airport.

Moving farther east, it will be the thunderstorm activity that will cause the most disruptions. After being in the crosshairs of the stormy activity on Thursday, Minneapolis will once again see a good chance of torrential rain and thunderstorms on Sunday.

Kansas City will be in the middle of the impact area on Sunday. The metro area that lands on either side of Kansas and Missouri is forecast to see a slight chance of thunderstorms on Saturday before the action ramps up the next day. Highs will fall from the upper 80s on Saturday to the upper 60s to close out the weekend.

These storm cells are likely to move into Chicago by Sunday. The Windy City has been exceptionally dry as of late with just a few sprinkles falling on September 5 and none since that time. The end of the weekend could usher in rainfall of around a half of an inch.

The southern and eastern flanks of the weekend storm will be the most likely areas to see thunderstorm activity due to the warmer temperatures in place. Forecasters are warning that some of these storm complexes could trigger high winds, hail, and heavy rain. These severe impacts will continue to track to the east on Sunday.