Prepare For The Worst...

The next system looks impossible to forecast with any certainty. The models are flip-flopping on each run with the exact location of the freeze line. Here is what I can say at this point...

Someone is going to get hammered with snow. There is a very narrow band (maybe 50-75 miles) that will come up from the southern plains states through Eastern Iowa, Illinois, or Western Indiana. Amount would be 8 to 12 inches or more.

Someone is going to get flooded with rain. There is wide precipitation area which has generally put 2 to 4 inches over several states including ours. If we don't get the snow mentioned above, rain is very possible unless...

Someone could get a major ice storm with 1/2 inch to 1 inch or more. That would be devastating to trees and power lines. Again, it is really impossible to predict at this point since everything is so marginal on temperatures.

What should be hope for? I say snow. Why you ask? Snow won't take down trees or power lines. Snow won't bring an immediate flood situation. It would likely be a more gradual flood as it melts.

I will try to deliver at least a couple of posts on this system tomorrow and will also kick off severe weather awareness week with a recap of the NWS conference I attended today. That was a great time.