Weather

Temps to vary; an active pattern for the Heartland

A developing storm system across the northern Plains will result in unsettled weather across the north-central U.S. and draw cold air southward across the Plains and much of the West.

During the next 2 days, significant snow accumulations may occur across the northern and central Rockies and parts of the northern Plains.

Enough precipitation (locally 1 to 2 inches) may fall from the eastern Dakotas into the upper Mississippi Valley to aggravate flooding. Farther south, late-week showers and thunderstorms in the western and central Gulf Coast regions may provide local drought relief.

Cold air in the storm’s wake should result in late-week freezes—especially on Saturday morning—as far south as Texas’ northern panhandle.

Elsewhere, an Atlantic storm will move close enough to New England on April 2-3 to produce wind and rain, while a new Pacific storm system will begin to affect California and neighboring states during the weekend.

Looking ahead, the 6- to 10-day outlook calls for the likelihood of above-normal temperatures across the central and eastern U.S., while cooler-than-normal conditions will prevail in western Montana and the Far West.

Meanwhile, near- or above-normal precipitation will cover much of the country; drier-than-normal weather should be limited to Florida’s peninsula and southern sections of the Rockies and High Plains.