WeatherFanatics: Snow, Cold to Spread Into Northern US This Week

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Snow, Cold to Spread Into Northern US This Week

By Brian Lada, Meteorologist

September 9,2014; 9:05PM,EDT

The first general frost and snowfall of the year will spread southward over the northern Plains and northern Rockies of the United States through Wednesday.
According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson, "Snow fell in parts of the Canada Rockies and Prairies Monday into Tuesday as the cold air pushed southward."
Several inches of snow fell on Calgary, Alberta into Tuesday. Another dose of snow will hit the area on Wednesday.
The rounds of snow will spread southeastward across a large part of Montana and into northern and western Wyoming, the Black Hills of South Dakota and part of the Nebraska Panhandle through Thursday.

Some of the eastern slopes of the mountain ranges in the region will pick up as much as 6 inches of snow.
Accumulating snow is likely to stop short of reaching Denver with this outbreak of cold air. However, it is not out of the question some snowflakes are seen in northeastern Colorado Thursday night.
"The chilliest air since last spring will push southward from Canada and across the northern and central Plains, Midwest and the eastern slopes of the Rockies, prior to the middle of September," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski last week about the upcoming weather.

This chilly air mass will continue to expand south and east throughout the rest of the week, but the coldest air will remain locked up over the Canadian Prairies and northern Plains.
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Frost will be a major concern for those with outdoor plants that are sensitive to freezing temperatures such as flowers and garden plants. This includes plants such as tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and watermelons.
Frost may form several nights in a row across the northern Plains with frost also possible over parts the Upper Midwest during the second half of the week.
Covering your plants early in the night is one way to try to prevent frost from damaging your plants.
"On a broad-term agricultural standpoint, crops such as corn and soybeans are maturing about a week behind average, but with such a bumper crop anticipated, no significant impact is expected by the light spotty frost unless temperatures dip significantly lower than currently forecast," said Sosnowski.

By the end of the week, the core of the chilly air mass will shift over the Great Lakes and away from the Plains.
However, those across the Great Lakes should not have to worry about temperatures dipping below freezing this weekend. The warm waters of the Great Lakes will cause the air to warm up slightly.
"Provided the sky becomes clear and winds diminish, portions of upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania and interior New England could experience a frost during multiple nights early next week," Sosnowski said.
As a result, people in the typical early-season cold spots of the Northeast should be prepared to take preventative measures against frost late this weekend.

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