Multi-faceted Storm System Going to Punch Through Midwest and Northeast

Alexis Thornton

9 hours ago

The Midwest and the Northeast are preparing for a blast of wintry weather, reminding residents that the cold season is just around the corner. The unseasonably warm fall season is coming to an end as the weather pattern makes an abrupt change. Here is what you need to know about this upcoming active and chilly storm track.

Drastic Change in the Weather for the Midwest, Northeast, and Beyond

The central and eastern U.S. is going to see Mother Nature flip this week as rain, snow, and significantly colder temperatures bear down on this half of the country. The change in the weather got started on Monday when a powerful storm triggered severe storms across the Great Plains. The winds began to whip around as the new system made its presence known with snow in the northern tier of the region.

The leading edge of this weather maker will move to the north and into Canada on Tuesday. However, forecasters are predicting that the energy associated with this system will linger and lay the groundwork for active weather in the days ahead.

Strong winds churning around the zone from the Mississippi Valley to the Great Lakes will usher in colder air. This influx of much chillier temperatures will eventually migrate into the central and southern Appalachians, the mid-Atlantic, and down into the southern Atlantic coastline.

The high winds will also be an issue, raising the threat of downed power lines and tree limbs. This is a good time to secure all loose objects outside. The winds will be the highest across the Midwest and the Appalachians. The Great Lakes region will see waves large enough to create lakeshore overwash and the possibility of flooding.

The cold temperatures will be amplified by the windy conditions, sending real feel readings to the lowest levels thus far this season. Real feel temperatures will fall into the teens and the single digits in the northern U.S. The southern half of the country will see real feel temperatures drop into the 30s and 40s by the end of the week as the surge of cold air moves in this direction.

Friday will be the chilliest day in the Southeast. Places such as Birmingham, Alabama will struggle to climb out of the mid 50s under a mix of sun and clouds. The city in the northern part of the state will see the overnight temperatures come close to hitting the freezing mark by the end of the week as the cold air takes hold.

Even Florida will get in on this cooling action. The biggest culprit behind the cooler weather in the Sunshine State will be the dramatic drop in the humidity levels. For example, Tallahassee will top out with a high of just 62 degrees on Friday. Overnight lows will be downright frigid in the state capital, landing in the upper 30s. Tallahassee will not sniff the 70s again until the beginning of the next week.

Prior to the arrival of the cold air, the Southeast will be dealing with the moisture created by Rainstorm Sara. The moisture left from this former hurricane will be enough to raise the risk of localized flooding along the heavily traveled Interstate 10 corridor.