Severe Weather Threat Shifts West to the Rockies and Dakotas

Severe weather is back in the forecast for portions of the interior West, the central Rockies, and the northern Plains on Saturday. Read on for what you need to know about this looming storm system as you make your weekend plans.

Soggy and Stormy Saturday Bearing Down on the Interior West and Beyond

A disturbance that got its start in the Pacific is pushing ashore and into the interior portions of the West to start the weekend. This frontal boundary will bring the threat of severe weather in a zone from northern Utah and into the Dakotas through the day and night Saturday. The impact zone will include the northeastern corner of Utah, southeastern Idaho, southwestern Montana, nearly all of Wyoming, the far northwestern edge of Nebraska, and the eastern half of the Dakotas.

Likely impacts associated with Saturday's storm system include hail, high winds, and localized flash flooding. This is a good time to enable all smartphone notifications, particularly if your Saturday plans call for time in the great outdoors.

Salt Lake City is hoping for some much-needed rain out of this storm system. Pervasive drought conditions have been the story for the largest city in Utah. Saturday's forecast is calling for partly cloudy skies with the chance of afternoon rain and storms. While the moisture is desperately needed across the parched landscape, the threat of flash flooding and damaging winds could create a whole new set of problems.

The best news for those in Salt Lake City and other parts of the interior West is that the arrival of the front will also bring down temperatures. After approaching the century mark on Thursday, highs will top out in the low 80s on Saturday in this part of Utah.

Storms Pushing Into the Northern Plains

The line of storms will also push into the northern Plains as the day progresses. Tourist season is wrapping up in Rapid City, South Dakota, but there are still plenty of people around who will likely have outdoor plans impacted as the storms roll through. The forecast is calling for alternating times of sun and clouds with the highest threat of gusty storms firing up in the afternoon hours. The most potent storm cells could pack high wind, heavy rain, and hail. It will continue to be warm in Rapid City with a forecast high in the low 90s and overnight lows that dip to the 60-degree mark.

In addition to the storms in the western half of the U.S., a new front will dip to the south across eastern Canada and reach New England by Sunday. This frontal boundary movement could set the stage for strong storms packing heavy rain and winds up to 65 mph.

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