Severe Thunderstorms and Heavy Rain Possible Across the Central U.S.; Additional Flash Flooding Potential in the Mid-Atlantic

Strong thunderstorms are forecast across parts of the Central Plains and Midwest today with damaging wind gusts, large hail, and heavy rainfall the primary threats. Heavy rain and scattered flash flooding is also possible across the Carolinas into Virginia. Elevated to critical fire weather concerns in the Four Corners region as Extreme Heat Warnings remain in effect across the Desert Southwest. Read More >

Winter 2022-2023 was warmer than average and with higher precipitation than average overall. The warmer weather was observed region wide with mean temperatures about 1 to 3 degrees above average. Precipitation and snowfall was above average for most places, with an exception being parts of northern Minnesota mainly north and west of the Iron Range. There, snow was a bit below average and precipitation around to slightly below average. For most of the winter, the storm tracks favored northwest Wisconsin and parts of northeast Minnesota, bringing the heavy snows in December and resulting in a monthly record snowfall for Duluth. Additional snow and even some rain fell in January and February. Drought that was previously present especially across Douglas/Bayfield counties has been removed, leaving only a sliver of some abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions in northern and north-central Minnesota.