March 17, 2010

Another significant storm system is expected to impact Nebraska late Thursday afternoon and continue through Saturday evening. A strong cold front is expected to push into northwest Nebraska Thursday afternoon and bring a mixture of rain and snow to the northern Panhandle and Sandhills. That night, snow will spread east and southward and by sunrise cover much of the western two-thirds of the state.

On Friday a mixture of snow and rain is likely across the eastern one-third of the state, with accumulating snowfall likely in western Nebraska. By Friday evening snow is expected to end over the western half of the state, with accumulating snowfall likely overnight across eastern Nebraska. Current weather models indicate that the low pressure system will slowly pull eastward and snow should end by Saturday afternoon. Wind speeds with this system are expected to be in the 20-30 mph range with gusts in excess of 40 mph.

If current forecasts verify, snowfall in excess of 6 inches is likely across the northern Panhandle and Sandhills. The remainder of the state should see snowfall totals of 2-3 inches with heavier amounts possible locally. These totals could be enhanced if severe thunderstorms fail to develop as expected across eastern Kansas and Oklahoma.

Another strong storm system is expected to drop into the central Plains as early as the following Tuesday (March 24). Current model projections indicate another round of accumulating snowfall for South Dakota and northern Nebraska, with thunderstorms possibly moving into southeast Nebraska.  With each new model run the storm system has trended southward, putting more of Nebraska in the middle of the storm track. This system definitely bears watching, especially with calving season still underway.

Models have yet to indicate that a sustained period of dryness coupled with above normal temperatures will develop. They do hint at possible temperatures across southern Nebraska approaching 70 the last two days of March and the potential for another storm system moving into the Central Plains. This system is projected to bring below normal temperatures and above normal precipitation.

Allen Dutcher
Nebraska State Climatologist