A West-to-East Storm Could Affect Weather Across Most of the Country
A massive storm is going to travel across the country this week, persisting through Election Day. It will unleash rain and snow in over 35 states. Here is a look at what you can expect as this cross-country storm travels from west to east.
Cross-Country Storm Will Impact Dozens of States
A strengthening El Niño is being blamed for a monster storm that will get its start in the southwestern U.S. before moving to the east. Rain began falling in Arizona on Friday ahead of the core of the storm, signaling what is ahead.
It is rare to see rain on Halloween in Southern California, but that might change this year as the storm ramps up just in time for the holiday. Moderate to heavy rain is in the forecast on Saturday for this part of the Golden State, threatening trick-or-treating plans in cities such as Los Angeles and San Diego.
There have only been nine Halloweens with measurable rain since 1850 in San Diego. You have to go back to 1987 to find the last time that rain impacted the holiday in this metro area.
The storm will push farther inland across the Southwest through early Monday. Widespread rainfall totals of 1 to 2 inches are on tap for much of Arizona this week. Up to 5 inches of rain could impact midweek plans in a zone from Phoenix up into Flagstaff.
It has already been a wet October for the Four Corners region. For instance, Flagstaff has notched 5.69 inches of rain since the start of the month. The expectation of more moisture prompted a Level 2 out of 4 flash flood threat for a large swath of the Four Corners through the weekend.
In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a Level 3 flood risk for a sliver of southwestern Colorado, northwestern New Mexico, and the southeastern corner of Utah. This impact zone includes the already saturated community of Pagosa Springs, Colorado, an area that declared a local emergency after flash flooding last weekend.
Colder temperatures in the southern Rockies will support the development of 12 to 18 inches of snow by the time that the system wraps up early in the week.
Potent System Will Track into the Plains and the Midwest by Election Day
This powerful weather maker will track into the Plains and the Midwest beginning on Monday. Heavy rain will translate to the risk of flash flooding across the Plains states. Roughly 40 million Americans have been put under a Level 1 out of 4 flood threat in an area from Texas up into Wisconsin on Monday.
An area of low pressure will come together across the nation's heartland ahead of the storm. This development will pave the way for warm and moist air to settle over the region and enhance the moisture and energy streaming into the region. Thunderstorms are forecast to ignite as the approaching cold front clashes with the moisture-rich air.
A Level 2 out of 5 risk of severe storms is now in place for a swath of the Plains from northern Texas up into Kansas. This includes the metro areas of Oklahoma City and Wichita. The timing of these storms could impact people heading out to vote on Tuesday.
The forecast for the latter part of the week is still largely uncertain. The latest forecast models show the storms moving to the east, possibly ushering in heavy rain on Thursday and Friday up and down the Interstate 95 corridor. Major urban areas such as Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Raleigh could get caught up in this action.
While it has been dry over much of the East Coast for the last few weeks, the upcoming pattern could mark the start of what is expected to be a wet winter for this region. A building El Niño is forecast to kick up the storm train across California and the southern third of the U.S. for the next few months.
We will continue to follow this active weather pattern and update accordingly. Stay with us for all of the latest.
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