Thursday, March 22, 2012

Winter’s Return: Feet of Snow by the Weekend

AccuWeather.com Headlines Weather Blog - Wednesday, May 18, 2011, 21:33
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By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

May 19, 2011; 7:33 AM ET
“As the mountains brace for heavy snow, rain will soak the neighboring lower elevations.”
The same storm system threatening the central and southern Plains with severe weather today will bury the northern Rockies with feet of snow.
By the time the weekend starts, the mountains across northern Wyoming and south-central Montana will be digging out from 1 to 2 feet of snow.
Yellowstone National Park will be protected from the heaviest snow totals by the mountain range that lies just to the east. A bit of snow, however, will still whiten the park tonight into Friday.
Most of the intense snowfall across northern Wyoming and south-central Montana will occur late today into Friday.
The snow must first rotate out of southern Wyoming today, burying the mountains outside of Casper in the process.
Snow will make travel on mountain roads extremely hazardous. Gusty winds will worsen the situation by reducing visibility.
Some roads may even become littered with debris due to tree damage. The weight of the snow, which will be heavy and wet in nature, could down trees and branches.
As the mountains brace for heavy snow, rain will soak neighboring lower elevations.
Potential exists for 1 to 3 inches of rain to pour down from western Nebraska and western South Dakota to southern Montana into Friday.
Flash flooding is a serious concern, especially in low-lying and poor-drainage areas. The danger also exists for small streams to rapidly rise out of their banks.
Motorists, including those passing through Billings and Rapid City, should use caution. Water ponding on highways will heighten the risk of vehicles hydroplaning.
Winter’s return will likely not just be confined to the mountains. Wet snowflakes could even make an appearance at some lower elevations, including the Wyoming cities of Casper and Cheyenne today.
Read the full article on AccuWeather.com Headlines Weather Blog




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