The impending arrival of Winter Storm Lola is causing concern across the Central Plains, as this same system is set to unleash severe weather in the Deep South. Designated as Winter Storm Lola by The Weather Channel, this weather system is expected to bring significant winter weather from the Rockies to the Upper Midwest.
As of the latest update, Winter Storm Lola is already making its presence known, with snow falling in high elevations of the West such as the Sierras and Rocky Mountains. The National Weather Service has issued winter weather alerts for parts of California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado, with a winter storm watch covering portions of the Central Plains.
Storm Timeline:
– Sunday to Monday: Heavy snow is forecasted to impact high elevations of the Sierras and Rockies until Monday, with peak snowfall amounts reaching up to 15 inches. Additionally, strong winds gusting up to 50 mph could lead to reduced visibility and hazardous travel conditions in mountain passes.
– Monday night to Tuesday: The snow is expected to spread eastward into the Central Plains, while the northern edge of the system may cause wintry mix and freezing rain in parts of the Great Lakes region. Blizzards conditions are a possibility from eastern Colorado to southern South Dakota, with winds potentially gusting up to 60 mph.
– Tuesday night to Wednesday night: Wintry mix and icy precipitation will move into the Midwest and western Great Lakes on Tuesday night, expanding across the rest of the Great Lakes and Ohio River Valley by Wednesday night.
Despite the limited snow coverage due to warmer temperatures, cities like Minneapolis, Chicago, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh may still experience wintry conditions. Winter Storm Lola is expected to taper off in the Northeast by the end of the week, potentially bringing snow to the Interior Northeast and New England.
Although snowfall totals are projected to be relatively light in the eastern half of the country, the combination of snow and strong winds could create whiteout or blizzard conditions. High elevations, the Upper Midwest, and parts of the Central Plains could see up to a foot of snow accumulation.
Sara Tonks, a content meteorologist with weather.com, holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Georgia Tech in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, as well as a master’s degree from Unity Environmental University in Marine Science.
