Snow in Tucson, Arizona today

sbeaudry

Jedi Council Member
 
Three feet of snow in some areas - that's insane! It looks like that weather pattern is heading across the central and eastern U.S.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — A winter storm dumped record-breaking amounts of snow in Arizona and forced the closure Friday of roads, schools and government offices across the Southwest.

Feb. 23, 2019 - Storm dumps record-breaking snow in Arizona on way to Texas

Storm dumps record-breaking snow in Arizona on way to Texas
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The storm was pushing through eastern Arizona and heading for New Mexico and Texas after dumping nearly 3 feet (0.9 meters) of snow Thursday at the Flagstaff airport during the city's snowiest day on record, and more than 2 feet (0.6 meters) in Payson, a town that logs that much snow as its yearly average.

Payson, about 90 miles (144 kilometers) northeast of Phoenix, essentially was shut down Thursday when state highways in and out of town were closed.

Farther south, snow accumulated Friday in central and downtown Tucson, surprising many people in the city where snow is rare. Mount Lemmon, a popular hiking spot outside the city, got 38 inches (97 centimeters) of snow and was closed — even to residents.

In Colorado, a stretch of highway north of Durango was closed for avalanche control. The storm dropped nearly 30 inches (0.76 meters) of snow at Wolf Creek, a popular ski area. It was expected to hit Denver around rush hour Friday causing traffic headaches.

The Flagstaff airport was closed Friday, and Southwest Airlines warned that flights in Denver and Tucson could be disrupted by the weather.

Forecasters were calling for 8 inches (20 centimeters) of snow in pockets of far northern New Mexico.


Blizzard conditions are possible in the Upper Midwest Saturday and Sunday as a potent winter storm hammers the region. Portions of Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan should see 8-12 inches of snow, while parts of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan could pick up 20 inches.

Feb. 23, 2019 - Wild weather weekend: Blizzard, tornadoes, floods, ferocious winds all expected

Wild weather weekend: Blizzard, tornadoes, floods, ferocious winds all expected

Snow-weary Minneapolis could see several inches, adding to its record February snowfall of 31.7 inches.

Freezing rain will also bring icy misery and dismal travel conditions to much of Wisconsin and northern Michigan.

The Weather Channel has named the storm Winter Storm Quiana. No other private meteorological companies, nor the National Weather Service, uses that name.

In addition to the snow, temperatures will drop to 20 degrees below zero overnight Sunday into Monday in the northern Plains. Wind chills will approach 40 below zero in North Dakota.

Farther south, the U.S. will also see its first significant tornado threat of the year this weekend.

On Saturday, an outbreak of severe weather will unleash strong winds and a few tornadoes to the Mid-South. Eastern Arkansas, northern Mississippi, and southwestern Tennessee are the areas at highest risk, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

The metro area most at risk for dangerous severe storms is Memphis.

Other parts of the South will endure ongoing rounds of drenching rain and the potential for more flooding, all the way from Arkansas to West Virginia. Over 20 million people are at risk for floods. The Tennessee River could crest at a level unseen in decades.

Meanwhile, the winter storm will also unleash ferocious winds across the central and eastern U.S. On Saturday, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas will see the strongest winds.

Winds will be especially strong for the Great Lakes states and Northeast on Sunday. Wind gusts of up to 75 mph could knock down trees, cut power and lead to travel problems.

"For some, it may seem more like an inland hurricane, rather than a winter storm," said Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist.

The storm has already wreaked havoc in the western U.S, bringing rare snowfalls to Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Tucson the past few days. Flagstaff, Arizona, was buried with nearly 3 feet of snow just on Thursday alone, which was the city's snowiest day on record, the weather service said.
 
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