Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Winter Storm Quo Brings a Snowy Start to March in the Midwest and Northeast

March 1,2016
Winter Storm Quo is welcoming the month of March with fresh snow, and even some ice, from the Upper Midwest to northern New England.
Winter storm warnings are in effect in parts of Lower Michigan, far upstate New York and northern Maine, where the heaviest additional snow will fall.
As of early Tuesday morning, snowfall totals have been less than 6 inches from eastern South Dakota to Michigan. Luverne, Minnesota, reported 5 inches of snow, while Kalamazoo, Michigan, picked up 3 inches. A mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow fell in Chicago.
(INTERACTIVE: Commuter Forecast)

Current Radar
Winter weather advisories stretch from parts of Iowa to central Massachusetts to coastal Maine not only for lighter snowfall, but also for a potential mix with sleet or freezing rain.
(MORE: Science Behind Naming Winter Storms | Winter Storm Central)

Winter Weather Alerts
The warm side of Winter Storm Quo will bring a threat of thunderstorms, some of which could be severe, to parts of the South. For more on that story, click here.
Below is a look at the timing for Winter Storm Quo and the snowfall forecast.

Winter Storm Quo Timing

Low pressure at the surface of the earth will organize along an arctic frontal boundary while strengthening, as it sweeps from Missouri Tuesday morning to northern New England Wednesday. Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will be pumped in and over the cold air at the surface, wringing out some snow and even, potentially, a little freezing rain or sleet along the path of that low.
Winter Storm Quo does not appear to be a major snowstorm with the potential to dump over a foot of snow over a widespread area. That said, the combination of snow and ice will impact travel in the Great Lakes and interior Northeast the next couple of days.
(MAPS: 10-day Forecast Highs/Lows and Conditions)
Tuesday
  • Snow will taper off in the Upper Mississippi Valley by midday, but continue Michigan and develop in northern Indiana and northwest Ohio. 
  • Increasing winds in the Great Lakes may lead to areas of blowing snow and reduced visibility.
  • Air and road travel will be affected in the region, with flight delays likely at Chicago O'Hare. 
  • A narrow zone of mixed precipitation, including some ice, may affect parts of eastern Iowa, northern Illinois, northern Indiana, southern Michigan and northern Ohio, leading to slippery travel conditions.
  • FORECASTS: Chicago | Detroit | Milwaukee

Tuesday's Forecast
Tuesday Night - Wednesday
  • Tuesday Night: Accumulating snow and a wintry mix spreads across portions of western and upstate New York into northern New England, including Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Precipitation may start as sleet or freezing rain, before changing to rain farther south in parts of Massachusetts. Rain may change to snow in the Ohio Valley and the Appalachians. Snow also continues in Lower Michigan, northern Ohio and parts of Indiana before ending from west to east before sunrise.
  • Wednesday: Snow and a wintry mix continue in parts of northern New England, particularly in Maine, ending by evening. Snow may continue in the Appalachians, western, central and upstate New York.
  • FORECASTS: Burlington | Syracuse | Pittsburgh

Tuesday Night's Forecast

Wednesday's Forecast

Winter Storm Quo Snowfall Forecast

  • Snowfall Forecast: The heaviest snowfall accumulations, in excess of 6 inches, are expected across an east-west swath of Lower Michigan, far upstate New York in the St. Lawrence Valley, and far northern Maine. Most other locations along the path of Quo will generally see snowfall totals of 6 inches or less from the Upper Mississippi Valley to northern New England.
  • Ice Accumulation Forecast: Light ice accumulations are possible from northern Illinois to northern New England. Though the amount of ice accumulation is expected to remain low in most areas, we will still see slippery travel conditions, particularly on bridges and overpasses. No widespread areas of tree limb damage or power outages is expected.

Snowfall Forecast

Ice Accumulation Potential

MORE: Winter Storm Petros (PHOTOS)

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