National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Widespread Showers in the Eastern US; Severe Thunderstorms in the Plains; Heatwave in the Desert Southwest

Widespread showers and thunderstorms across much of the central and eastern U.S. will produce areas of excessive rainfall, especially in the southern Mid-Atlantic states. Scattered severe thunderstorms are expected from Montana into portions of the central/southern Plains this weekend. A heatwave will build in the Desert Southwest, in parts of Arizona, southeastern California, and southern Nevada. Read More >

A narrow, but intense snowband developed over eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota from mid-morning through early evening on 18 March 2014.  The graphic below shows the extent of the snow band around 1pm CDT.  At this time, the most intense portion of the band was only about 20-30 miles wide, but was producing snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour!  As a result, a very tight snowfall gradient was observed across the area.  For example, Watertown, SD only picked 0.1" of snow while Clear Lake, SD picked up a whopping 10.5"!  A graphical snowfall map and a few tabular snowfall listings are also provided below.

 

  • Clear Lake, SD - 10.5"
  • 5 SE Revillo, SD - 7.0"
  • Estelline, SD - 6.0"
  • Correll, MN - 6.0"
  • Wheaton, MN - 2.8"
  • Artichoke Lake, MN - 2.0"
  • Milbank, SD - 0.5"
  • Watertown, SD - 0.1"

 

Image 1:  KABR Reflecitivity at 1pm CDT:

 

 

Image 2:  Storm Total Snowfall Graphic: