Weather

Wide-ranging temps fuel yet another impressive, far-reaching spring storm for much of the Nation

Across the Corn Belt, cold, snowy weather across the far upper Midwest contrasts with warm, humid weather in the Ohio Valley.  Blizzard Warnings are in effect Tuesday in much of the Dakotas, extending into parts of northern and western Minnesota.  In those areas, wind-driven snow is stressing livestock and causing substantial rural travel disruptions.

On the Plains, blizzard conditions are increasing livestock stress and causing significant travel disruptions in much of South Dakota and portions of neighboring states.  On April 2 in North Dakota, lambing and calving operations were 62 and 39% complete, respectively.  Farther south, dangerous fire weather conditions are developing across the southern half of the Plains, amid ongoing drought, low humidity levels, and winds gusting as high as 70 mph.  Kansas led the nation on April 2 with 57% of its winter wheat rated in very poor to poor condition, followed by Texas at 47%.

In the South, warm, breezy weather prevails in advance of an approaching cold front.  The mid-South is bracing for its third severe-weather outbreak in less than 2 weeks, following damaging tornadoes on March 24 and 31.  Elsewhere, reports from mid-March freezes continue to trickle in, with producers in Georgia and South Carolina reporting losses in early peach varieties.

In the West, chilly weather prevails.  Frost Advisories were in effect early Tuesday in several areas, including California’s Sacramento Valley.  Farther east, a winter-like storm is departing, although snow lingers across the Intermountain West and portions of the central Rockies.  Elsewhere, high winds are raking parts of the Southwest, especially New Mexico, where gusts as high as 80 mph may occur later Tuesday.