A potent storm could deliver severe weather to the Plains, while the weekend will bring cold temperatures and snow to the West. Plus, the Sanibel Causeway reopens. Today’s weather alerts and the weekend forecast.
Today’s weather alerts
Here are Thursday’s weather alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS).
Winter storm watch: southwestern Montana.
Freeze watch: northeastern California; western, northwestern, and southern Nevada.
Wind advisory: southeastern California, southern Nevada, northwestern Arizona.
Red flag warning: central and eastern Montana; southwestern North Dakota; northwestern South Dakota, eastern and southern Wyoming; central and southern Indiana; southern Illinois; southeastern Missouri; and western and central Kentucky.
Air-quality alert: western, northern, and northeastern Washington; western Oregon; and northern Idaho.
Sanibel Causeway reopens ahead of schedule
The severed causeway that cut off transportation between Florida’s mainland and Sanibel Island has opened only three weeks after Hurricane Ian savaged it, The Hill reported. Repairs to the three-mile bridge were completed over a week ahead of schedule, CBS reported.
“Cutting through bureaucratic red tape and delivering on our promise to get Sanibel Island up and running has been a top priority,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said in a statement.
The weekend forecast
Here is a look at the weekend forecast from the National Weather Service (NWS).
Thursday: Mostly clear across US
Mostly clear weather for the majority of the Lower 48.
Spotty, scattered showers over parts of Washington, Idaho, and Montana in the West, as well as over Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York in the east.
Critical fire weather is possible in central and southwestern Montana.
Friday: Mixed precipitation moves in over the Northwest
Rain and mixed precipitation over the Northwest, into the northern portions of California, Nevada, and Utah. Critical fire weather is possible over central and southern Wyoming.
Mostly clear weather for the remainder of the Lower 48.
Saturday: Cold, slushy rain, heavy snow in Northwest
Mixed precipitation in the Northwest will extend from the Canadian border as far south as central New Mexico, as slushy conditions over Washington, Montana, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Heavy snow is possible over portions of central and southwestern Montana, as well as central Idaho and northeastern Oregon. Colorado mountains are also likely to get their first big snow event this weekend, 9 News reported.
Thunderstorms and rain along the Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Massachusetts, as well as inland over parts of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Rain throughout the western half of the US and into the upper Midwest.
Sunday: Severe weather possible in the plains
A potent storm moving across the country could spawn severe weather over the Plains. A cold front will collide with warm, moist air coming out of the northwest. The two fronts will collide on Sunday over the Omaha area, where residents could be looking at some strong storms, the Weather Channel reported. However, as things may change by Sunday, people in the Midwest should check with the Storm Prediction Center for the latest forecast as the storm approaches.
