The first fall storm to hit America this week will bring autumn cold and mountain snow
The first fall storm sweeps America
A fairly strong storm system will roll into the western United States starting Wednesday. This will bring rain to the northwest midweek.
As we bid farewell to summer, we are greeted with the unmistakable essence of fall of crisp air, the golden hues of falling leaves, the comforting scent of pumpkin spice, and the first taste of fall-like weather in much of the West.
A powerful storm system moves into the western United States by Wednesday, bringing rain to the northwest and early-season hail across the region.
“Forecast models have picked up this significant drop in aircraft (current),” FOX Weather meteorologist Stephen Morgan said. “It’s almost the polar plane trying to announce its presence, as it does at this time of year.”
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The pattern becomes more active on Thursday as the storm intensifies and cold air is drawn in from Canada. Rain will become more widespread across the northern Rockies and northern Plains, creating wet conditions to conclude the work week with widespread rainfall totals of 1-3 inches.
It will be cold enough on some mountain peaks for rain to turn to snow, and a few inches of snow will likely fall at the highest elevations in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado.
More severe weather in the plains until the end of the week
By the end of the week, the main power will shift to the country’s midsection — just in time as the start of astronomical fall signals the start of the second severe weather season.
“We’re looking at (severe weather threats) Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” Morgan said. “The Storm Prediction Center also states that we could possibly continue with some severe weather by Sunday. So it remains to be seen exactly what we will see in this event.”
Fall is the second severe weather season
Widespread rainfall is expected from the Rocky Mountains to the southern Plains. Additionally, it appears that the components will come together in the Plains to produce severe weather of damaging winds, large hail, and perhaps a few tornadoes.
As the cold front continues to press eastward, the storm threat will shift eastward Saturday and Sunday.
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This cold air will arrive behind the front, bringing temperatures in some places to their coldest in months — a true taste of fall as the season begins Saturday morning.
Low temperatures will continue to be widespread in the 40s and even 30s in the upper elevations across much of the West through the weekend.
