A powerful storm that dumped heavy snow and flooding rain in the Cascades and Sierra Nevada earlier this week is heading toward the nation’s heartland.
California state Route 70 remains closed from Tobin to Paxton in Plumas County due to landslides. This is a 45-mile stretch. Tractor-trailers were stuck in snow as 24 inches piled up in the Donner Pass area on Interstate 80. The storm will produce heavy snow and strong winds Tuesday in the Colorado and Wyoming Rockies, as well as the Wasatch Range in Utah.
Related: Colorado trucking company takes ‘huge hit’ from I-70 closures
On the warm side of the system, severe thunderstorms will develop across portions of the Plains, Gulf Coast and Southeast over the next three days.
Tuesday
There’s a good chance that storms will produce many areas of gusty winds exceeding 60 mph and large hail Tuesday from southern Nebraska to central and eastern Texas. Several tornadoes could touch down as well. Major cities in the risk zone include Dallas-Fort Worth, Oklahoma City and Wichita, Kansas.
Wednesday
The severe storm threat decreases a bit Wednesday and shifts to the Gulf Coast. However, look for scattered areas of hail and intense wind gusts exceeding 60 mph. A few isolated tornadoes could pop up. Major cities in the risk zone include Houston, New Orleans, Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida.
Thursday
The severe storm threat Thursday remains about the same as Wednesday, but it moves to the Southeast. Scattered areas of hail and intense wind gusts could impact drivers in central and northeastern Florida, as well as eastern parts of Georgia and the Carolinas. A few isolated tornadoes are possible.
As is the case with almost any severe storm, drivers may hit areas of torrential rain, along with potential flash flooding and road closures.
Major lanes of concern
• Interstate 70 from Hays to Manhattan, Kansas.
• Interstate 40 from Amarillo, Texas, to Oklahoma City.
• Interstate 20 from Dallas to Sweetwater, Texas.
• Interstate 10 from Houston to Mobile.
• Interstate 95 from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, to Daytona Beach, Florida.
• Interstate 4 from Daytona Beach to Tampa, Florida.
• Interstate 75 from Valdosta, Georgia, to Tampa.
Other notable weather this week
A nor’easter will produce heavy rain and strong winds along the I-95 corridor Tuesday and Wednesday from Baltimore and Washington to Boston. Flooding is possible along the coast and just inland. Look for potential power outages as well.
Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Nick Austin.
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