Winter Weather Returns to Upper Midwest, Bringing Heavy Snow and Blowing Snow: NWS Says

Winter weather with heavy snow and blowing snow has returned to the Upper Midwest, replacing the recent "very warm temperatures" that caused snowmelt flooding across the region, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

While snowfall is expected not to be extreme, the wintry conditions could persist despite the country being in the middle of the spring season that started in March 20.

During this period, the states of Iowa, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and even their surrounding areas could experience reduced visibility from the snowy precipitation, which could disrupt air and ground travel throughout the weekend.

In addition, temperatures could also plummet in the affected locations.

Upper Midwest Winter Weather

The NWS' Weather Prediction Center (WPC) on Saturday, April 15 issued a short-range forecast for the Upper Midwest winter weather and other regions across the U.S., as far as the Great Lakes and Northeast regions, as well as the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies.

The forecast is valid from Sunday to Tuesday, April 16 to April 18.

The weather outlook shows the accumulation of snowfall for parts of the Upper Midwest starting Sunday evening since a cold air will push southward toward the said region, behind a low pressure area as moisture continues to enter from the Southeast.

With this, accumulating snowfall could reach between four and seven inches from late Sunday to Monday, April 17 for parts of northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where winter storm watches are in effect, according to the US weather agency.

Critical Fire Weather Threats

While other regions will experience rain and snow precipitations, other areas of the country will experience critical fire weather threats and severe thunderstorms.

The NWS forecasted a powerful cold front that could bring potential isolated severe thunderstorms and localized heavy rain in areas from the Southeast to the lower Great Lakes region.

Furthermore, gusty winds could generate critical fire weather threats in the central Great Plains in the coming hours or days.

According to the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), elevated to critical fire weather is in store for a portion of central and eastern New Mexico.

This comes amid a surface low that will move across the southern Plains toward the central Mississippi Valley due to a mid-level trough spreading to the central U.S. as of Sunday.

The fire weather conditions would allow the growth and spread of wildfires across the region, where it will mainly affect approximately 200,000 people in Roswell and Lovington in New Mexico.

Last year, the 2022 New Mexico wildfire season saw the burning of almost 1 million acres of land and the deaths of at least two people.

Moreover, FOX Weather previously forecasted that renewed severe weather is expected across the South, which was struck by a deadly tornado several weeks ago.

This means that large hail, damaging winds, and even isolated tornadoes are possible to occur.