Blizzard warnings were issued to more than two million people across the United States this week, in some places you’d expect, like Minnesota, and in some places you wouldn’t, like the mountains around Los Angeles.
Almost all countries are experiencing significant weather this week, meteorologists said. While much of eastern North America is basking in spring-like weather, a major winter storm has hit the west from Southern California to Toronto.
As the storm strengthened its grip on Wednesday, it promised a mix of cold weather – strong winds, heavy snow, cold temperatures and freezing rain. It disrupts travel on roads and has already severely affected air travel.
According to tracking service FlightAware, more than 1,000 flights were canceled and hundreds were delayed by early morning. About 390 flights were canceled to and from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport said. At Denver International Airport, nearly 200 inbound and outbound flights were canceled and several hundred were delayed. Passengers are advised to check with their airlines about how their flights will be affected.
By morning, the Twin Cities and surrounding areas had already received three to five inches and could see nine to 12 inches of snow, with some local highs nearing 15 inches. Those storm totals — though little more than 20 inches — would support calling the event a historic one, forecasters at the weather office said. Wrote on Wednesday morning.
A rare blizzard warning for Los Angeles County
Snow is not uncommon in the mountains of Southern California, but when the forecast calls for a blizzard, it makes people wonder if it’s somehow a mistake. But forecasters say blizzards are not unheard of in the region. It hasn’t happened in a while.
National Weather Service in Los Angeles Winter storm warning issued through early Friday for the mountains of Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. A rare blizzard warning is in place for the same areas Friday through Saturday.
This isn’t the first blizzard warning issued by the National Weather Service office in Los Angeles, but it has been for decades. The forecast office’s historical records go back to 2006, so its forecasters have become so accustomed to issuing high surf advisories and flash flood warnings that they don’t know when they last issued a blizzard warning.
Forecasters in Los Angeles described The storm makes the area cold and dangerous And up to seven feet of snow is forecast for areas above 6,000 feet above sea level. At elevations below 2,500 feet, less amounts of one to four inches are expected. Areas along the coast and valleys may get a few inches of rain.
“It’s shaping up to be a very unusual event in some places, especially where the impacts are going to be really substantial,” said Dr. Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA. said in a video on Tuesday.
The low-elevation snowfall may be the largest 24-48-hour snowfall seen in decades — since the blizzard of 1989. Congested traffic – For the mountains of Ventura and Los Angeles County, forecasters said.
“Everything adds up to a big snow event,” said Andrew Roark, senior forecaster at the National Weather Service office in Los Angeles.
Dr Swain said the weather will intensify on Thursday and Friday as cold air moves over the state. Snow is expected at lower elevations “from the Oregon border all the way to the Mexico border,” he predicted, adding that many Californians could see snow in nearby mountains Friday morning.
A person standing in downtown Los Angeles can see an elevation of 10,600 feet, which usually has snow, Mr. Roark said. On Saturday, the nearby mountain will have much less snow, which could show more snow than a typical winter storm.
But don’t expect the Hollywood sign to get lost in the snow-capped mountains.
“The Hollywood Hills are spared the snow, but the San Gabriels behind the Hollywood side certainly aren’t,” said Mr. Roark said.
Los Angeles is surrounded by mountains, and if there is heavy snow, the road through them will be closed.
“In 1989 they were closed for two days,” Mr. Roark said. “I think we’re a little better prepared for it today. Still, closing our highways for an hour is going to have a major traffic impact. The second phase of the storm on Friday will bring gusts up to 55 mph, prompting blizzard warnings.
Strong winds have already caused power outages across the state. About 100,000 electricity customers California — more than half of them in the San Francisco Bay Area — were without power Wednesday morning. application Pacific Gas & Electric said Electrical equipment has been affected by the wind. The weather service office in San Francisco said strong winds caused downed trees and damaged roofs.
What’s in the Midwest?
Heavy snow and strong winds that developed in the northern Rockies on Tuesday will push eastward across the northern Plains and upper Midwest on Wednesday, forecasters said. More than a foot of snow is forecast from South Dakota through parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Snow levels could reach two feet in southern Minnesota, where heavy snow and blizzard conditions could develop late Wednesday. Governor Tim Walls said Residents should plan to minimize their travel.
“The second round is really the main event of the storm, if you will, and it starts in the early morning to mid-morning from south to north,” said Joseph Calderon, senior forecaster with the National Weather Service in the Twin Cities..
Blizzard warnings are in place for residents west of the Twin Cities and large parts of Minnesota and the Dakotas.
Significant snow accumulations were expected in parts of Michigan. According to the weather service office in Detroit. Freezing, sleet and snow are also forecast for the region.
School districts in Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and other states were hit by the snowstorm, canceling some classes and after-school activities Wednesday. In conjunction with National Weather Service warnings of a “major” winter storm, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Waukesha and Washington County campuses were closed due to the weather forecast, but classes were held at its Milwaukee campus.
In Michigan, Lincoln Park Public Schools canceled classes and evening activities. More than 66 schools in Iowa were closed or delayed. WCCI TV reported.
“Freezing rain will have a major impact this winter storm!” The Ontario Office of Environment and Climate Change tweeted. Afternoon and evening commutes in places like Toronto could be significantly affected, they said.
Even for winter weather and driving in snow, Snow on the road can often cause problems even for an experienced driver.
Northeast regions will also see snow this week.
While the storm is expected to hit the Midwest, snow is also forecast for parts of the Northeast later in the week. A winter storm watch was in effect for parts of Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.
Heavy snow totals of up to a foot are expected in higher elevations such as the Adirondacks and Green and White Mountains, the weather service said. Lighter accumulations of up to four inches are forecast at lower elevations across upstate New York and central New England.
Areas along the East Coast seem to be left out of the winter-weather equation this time around, as they’re more likely this winter. New York City and other major cities along the Interstate 95 corridor are experiencing the fewest snow seasons in the last 50 years. On Thursday, temperatures in the Mid-Atlantic region are expected to be 40 degrees above average, and above average for February and June. Richmond, Va., expected Reaches into the low 80s.
