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Back-to-Back Pacific Storms to Impact the West Coast; Heavy Snow in the Central Appalachians

Back-to-back powerful Pacific storm systems to impact the Pacific Northwest and northern California through the end of this week with heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, and higher elevation mountain snow. A strong, long-duration atmospheric river will accompany the Pacific storms, bringing excessive rainfall and flash flooding to southwest Oregon and northwest California through the week. Read More >

A narrow, but intense snowband developed over eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota from mid-morning through early evening on 18 March 2014.  The graphic below shows the extent of the snow band around 1pm CDT.  At this time, the most intense portion of the band was only about 20-30 miles wide, but was producing snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour!  As a result, a very tight snowfall gradient was observed across the area.  For example, Watertown, SD only picked 0.1" of snow while Clear Lake, SD picked up a whopping 10.5"!  A graphical snowfall map and a few tabular snowfall listings are also provided below.

 

  • Clear Lake, SD - 10.5"
  • 5 SE Revillo, SD - 7.0"
  • Estelline, SD - 6.0"
  • Correll, MN - 6.0"
  • Wheaton, MN - 2.8"
  • Artichoke Lake, MN - 2.0"
  • Milbank, SD - 0.5"
  • Watertown, SD - 0.1"

 

Image 1:  KABR Reflecitivity at 1pm CDT:

 

 

Image 2:  Storm Total Snowfall Graphic: