Winter Storm Eboni Will Intensify and Spread Heavy Snow, Wind Into Parts of Plains, Midwest
Dec 25, 2018 07:59PM ● By EditorFrom Weather.com - December 26, 2018
Winter Storm Eboni will track into the Plains midweek where it will intensify and lay down an expansive swath of wind-driven snow.
Eboni will then spread snow into parts of the upper Midwest and northern New England through Friday.
Eboni was named late on Mon., Dec. 24 with the expectation that area criteria – winter storm warnings for 400,000 square kilometers or more – would be met later in the week. Both area and population criteria was reached Tuesday afternoon.
Happening Now
Snow continues to fall across parts of the central and southern Rockies and has spread into portions of the northern and central Plains.
Eboni brought more than a foot of snow to the Sierra on Christmas Eve into early Christmas morning.
Winter storm warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service from southern Colorado northeastward to Minnesota and far northwestern Wisconsin. Heavy snow and blowing snow are expected to make travel dangerous in these areas.
Near-blizzard conditions – including low visibility and blowing snow – are possible in parts of the Dakotas late Wednesday into Thursday.
Winter weather advisories are also in place for parts of the Rockies, northern Plains and upper Midwest where travel could be tricky through midweek.
Day-By-Day Forecast
Winter Storm Eboni will emerge and strengthen in the central Plains midweek as an upper-level trough – a southward dip in the jet stream – ejects out of the West.
Temperatures are expected to be cold enough on the northern side of this storm for significant amounts of snow to fall from the northern and central Plains into the upper Midwest and northern Great Lakes region.
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
How Much Snow?
At least 6 inches of snow is expected in a swath from parts of Colorado northeastward through the eastern Dakotas and into northern Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. More than a foot of snow is possible in eastern South Dakota, southeastern North Dakota and in parts of central and northern Minnesota.
Gusty winds will lead to blowing and drifting snow that may create snow drifts several feet high.
The trickiest forecast for snowfall totals is for cities along the southern edge of the expected snowfall, which could see rain and snow. Minneapolis and Sioux Falls, South Dakota are two examples.
Keep in mind, the area of heaviest snow could shift farther north or south in future forecast updates based on the track of the storm.
Farther east, more than 6 inches of snow is most likely in northern New Hampshire and northern Maine.
Light snowfall is possible in parts of southern New England but little to no snow accumulation is currently anticipated in Boston, Providence and Hartford.