It’s no surprise that potential severe thunderstorms will soon return to the Plains and the Mississippi Valley. It is spring, after all, and severe storms hit these regions just four days ago. Truckers should be prepared to slow down or pull over at times during the next few days.
A cold front will exit the Rockies, moving through the southern and central Plains from Tuesday afternoon through early Thursday. Heavy rain will drench areas from Texas to Nebraska, even stretching toward the Upper Midwest.
Widespread flooding is unlikely. However, there’s a good chance of localized flash flooding, which could lead to short-term ramp and road closures, especially secondary roads. Rain totals of 4 to 6 inches are possible in places such as Dallas-Fort Worth; eastern Oklahoma; Fort Smith, Arkansas; Poplar Bluff, Missouri; Carbondale, Illinois; as well as Evansville, Indiana. The threat for heavy rain shifts eastward Thursday and Friday to the Ohio and Tennessee valleys, in addition to the Northeast and Southeast.
Thunderstorms could also produce intense winds, large hail and a few tornadoes Tuesday and Wednesday in parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska.
Other notable weather
Drivers will hit areas of heavy snow Tuesday morning from northern Colorado to southeastern Wyoming. Totals of 10 to 14 inches coud pile up in places like the Eisenhower Tunnel, Rocky Mountain National Park, Cameron Pass, Breckenridge, Centennial, the Rabbit Ears Range and Berthoud Pass.
Elevated fire danger continues across western Texas, eastern New Mexico, southeastern Colorado, southwestern Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle. “Exceptional drought” still plagues some of these areas, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and conditions will be windy Tuesday. Gusts are forecast to reach 40 to 50 mph.
Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Nick Austin.
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