Next Spring Storm to Bring Rockies, Midwest, Northeast Snow, Severe Weather to South and East

Jon Erdman
Published: April 2,2017
Another spring storm will dump snow in the Rockies before intensifying later this week, wringing out wet snow and wind from the Great Lakes into the interior Northeast.
In classic April fashion, the warmer side of this system will also bring some severe weather to parts of the South and East later in the week, not to mention another soaking rain.
(MORE: Tornado Central | Winter Storm Central)
Let's start with this storm's first phase in the West.

More Rockies Snow

This system begins its cross-country journey by wringing out more snow in the Rockies, from Montana to Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and northern New Mexico through Tuesday.
This snow will primarily focus in Montana and Wyoming through Monday before intensifying in Colorado, far southern Wyoming and northern New Mexico Monday night into Tuesday.
(FORECAST: Denver | Jackson, Wyoming | Aspen, Colorado)
Similar to the past several systems, the heaviest snow will fall in the higher elevations of Colorado, northern New Mexico, and Wyoming.
However, this system may have colder air, so several inches of snow are likely in the Denver metro area, and parts of the Colorado Front Range Urban Corridor Monday night into Tuesday.
Once again, travel over the Palmer Divide south of Denver and over Raton Pass - the Colorado/New Mexico border on Interstate 25 - could be difficult by Tuesday.

Snowfall Forecast Through Tuesday Night

Midwest/Northeast: Snow, Wind Later This Week

We're just the messengers here. We know you're antsy for sunny skies and warmer temperatures in the northern tier of the country, but this next system won't be just a Rockies snowmaker.
Thanks to an intensifying southward jet-stream plunge, the surface low-pressure system will also intensify late this week over the Ohio Valley and Northeast.

Ingredients For the Late-Week Storm

Given it's early April, there will likely be just enough cold air drawn in on the backside of this storm to wring out areas of wet snow from the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley to the Appalachians and interior Northeast that could linger, in spots, into next Saturday.
(MAPS: 7-Day U.S. Rain/Snow Forecast)
The combination of wet snow plus strong winds may lead to some sporadic power outages and tree damage Thursday and Friday, particularly over the higher elevations of the Appalachians, where snowfall totals may be heaviest and winds the strongest.
(MORE: April Temperature Outlook)

Snowfall Outlook Through Late This Week

If that wasn't enough, the warm side of this system will feature a threat of severe thunderstorms Wednesday and Thursday not simply in the South, but also in parts of the Ohio Valley and East before the cold air arrives.
(MORE: April Begins With Threat of Severe Thunderstorms)
Check back with us at weather.com the next few days as the key forecast details come into focus on this next storm.

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