Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Major Storm System Brings Winter and Spring Weather Hazards...

As promised, an unusually strong and winter-like storm system is bringing measurable snow to parts of the Plains on this first day of May!


As you can see by the latest satellite/radar mosaic above, snow is falling, moderately to heavily at times, from northeast Colorado into Nebraska and southwest Minnesota at this time.

Snow will increase across the region today and tonight while spreading Northeast into the Twin Cities area as well.

The potential exists for 2 inches or more of snow to fall from southeast Nebraska into southcentral and southeast Minnesota through tonight:


...with up to 6 inches or more possible in some localized areas:


Today will only be the fourth time since 1895 that measurable snow will have fallen in the Grand Island and Hastings, NE areas during the month of May:


...and similar records will be broken at many other locations today and tonight.

Meanwhile, on the warm side of the storm, strong to severe thunderstorms are likely to form in the southern and central Plains later this afternoon into this evening and at least early tonight:


The highest potential for severe weather, mainly in the form of large hail, will be within the green shaded area on the above image.  Damaging thunderstorm wind gusts are also possible in this region, mainly late this afternoon through sunset this evening.

One or more clusters of strong to severe storms may also organize in northwest and west-central Texas this evening and move Southeast toward the I-35 corridor from Austin to San Antonio around Midnight or shortly after late this evening and early tonight.

Make sure that you have a way to receive weather warnings if you live in these areas, including after you go to bed tonight.

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