Storm Summary Number 03 for Northern Rockies to Northern Plains
Snowstorm
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
300 AM MDT Thu Oct 10 2019

...A powerful early-season snowstorm is bringing strong winds and
heavy snows to the Rockies and High Plains...

Winter Storm Warnings, Watches, and Advisories are in effect from
the Northern Plains into the Central Rockies, northwestern
Nebraska, and western Minnesota.

Freeze Warnings and Watches are in effect for portions of the
Pacific Northwest, Southwest, and the Central to Southern Plains.

Red Flag Warnings and Wind Advisories are in effect for portions
of California, the Southwest, and the Central Great Basin.

For a detailed graphical depiction of the latest watches, warnings
and advisories, please see www.weather.gov

At 200 AM MDT...Surface observations indicated sharply colder air
spilling south behind a strong front extending from Minnesota
through the Central Plains, Central Rockies, and Great Basin. A
surface low with a central pressure of 999 mb, or 29.50 inches,
was present along the front near Dodge City, Kansas. National
Weather Service radar and surface observations showed generally
moderate snow with embedded heavy snow was falling across western
portions of the Dakotas into Wyoming and western Nebraska, with
light to moderate snow across portions of Montana and into the
Central Rockies. Gusty winds were occurring behind the front
across the Plains, Rockies, and Great Basin.

...Selected preliminary Storm Total Snowfall in inches from 800 AM
MDT Tue Oct 08 through 200 AM MDT Thu Oct 10...

...MONTANA...
PONY                                 24.0                    
HELENA 7 SW                          18.0                    
CLANCY 3 W                           16.5                    
FISHTAIL 18.1 SW                     16.0                    
HOMESTAKE PASS                       13.5                    
WHITEHALL 14 W                       13.5                    
MCLEOD 5.9 WSW                       13.0                    
JANEY 8 S                            12.0                    
MARIAS PASS                          12.0                    
GREAT FALLS 5 SSW                    11.5                    
LEWISTON                             10.0                    

...SOUTH DAKOTA...
RAPID CITY 1 E                        1.9                    

...WYOMING...
CHEYENNE NWS                          0.7                    

...Selected preliminary Peak Wind gusts in miles per hour earlier
in the event...

...COLORADO...
BUCKLEY AFB 1 N                        66                    
BLENDE 5 NE/PUEBLO ARPT                62                    
CHERAW 4 S/LA JUNTA ARPT               62                    
LIMON 1 E                              62                    
LAMAR ARPT                             60                    
BUFORD 13 ENE                          58                    
CRAIG-MOFFAT CO ARPT                   58                    
DOUGLAS PASS                           57                    

...IDAHO...
ROVER                                  57                    
MOBURG CANYON                          55                    

...SOUTH DAKOTA...
REVA 13 SSW                            56                    

...UTAH...
EAGLE MOUNTAIN                         57                    
WINDY PEAK                             57                    
OGDEN PEAK                             56                    
WEST GRANITE                           55                    
FREMONT ISLAND - MILLER HILL           54                    

...Selected preliminary Storm Total Snowfall in inches where the
event has ended...

...IDAHO...
GIBBONSVILLE 10 NNW                  8.0                     
RATHDRUM 4 NNE                       7.7                     
LEADORE 1 NW                         7.0                     
HAYDEN 1 SE                          6.0                     
CAREYWOOD                            5.0                     
RED RIVER HOT SPRING                 5.0                     
AMERICAN FALLS 1 SE                  4.0                     

...WASHINGTON...
SPOKANE 1 S/SOUTH HILL               5.2                     
FOUR LAKES 2 NE                      4.0                     
MARSHALL                             4.0                     


As the front moves slowly eastward through the Plains and into the
Mississippi Valley, snow will continue to spread behind it in the
Northern and Central Plains and the Central Rockies. Higher
elevations of the Central Rockies could receive an additional 2 to
6 inches of snow through Thursday. The low is forecast to
consolidate farther north in northern Minnesota by Thursday night
and remain quasi-stationary there through Saturday. Thus, heavy
snow will persist across the Northern Plains on the backside of
the low. Potentially historic October snowfall totals are likely
across portions of central and eastern Dakotas - where a swath of
accumulations well exceeding 24 inches is expected. Farther east,
accumulations of 4 to 8 inches are expected across northwestern
Minnesota. Blowing snow is also expected, with blizzard conditions
possible. Some mixed precipitation is also possible for portions
of the Dakotas along the transition zone between snow and rain.

The next Storm Summary will be issued by the Weather Prediction
Center at 900 AM MDT. Please refer to your local National Weather
Service office for additional information on this event.

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