WASHINGTON--Those in the central and eastern United States may face disruptions to travel plans and outdoor activities for part of Easter weekend. Meanwhile, people in the northern Plains and Upper Midwest will be left shivering amid unseasonably cold and possibly snowy conditions.
A storm that will first bring severe weather and flooding to the South-Central states will take aim at the Eastern Seaboard during a portion of the holiday weekend. "It will be unsettled in the Great Lakes and Northeast, but none of the three days spanning Friday to Easter Sunday will be a complete washout," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Mike Doll.
While the exact timing of the storm is not set in stone, those planning road trips and flights into and out of the Northeast may need to allot extra time to reach their holiday destinations due to clouds and wet weather. This includes the major hubs from Washington, D.C, to Boston. Interior areas could even face snowy and slick travel, depending on how much cold air meets up with the back edge of the storm.
Across the northern tier of the country, people heading to Easter egg hunts, sunrise church services or hoping to break out spring attire will not be able to do so without layering up.
"The northern Plains and Upper Midwest will remain entrenched in a winterlike air mass [over Easter weekend]," said AccuWeather Long-Range Meteorologist Max Vido.
A large portion of this corridor may be chilled by temperatures more typical of February, about 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit below normal, on Easter Sunday.
Average high temperatures during the end of March and beginning of April range from the low 40s in Grand Forks, North Dakota, to near 50 in Minneapolis and Madison, Wisconsin.
Bismarck, North Dakota; Rapid City, South Dakota; Minneapolis; and Madison are some of the cities where residents may not be able to head outdoors this weekend without hats, gloves and thick jackets.
Depending on the exact speed of the cold push, extra layers may also be needed as far south as Omaha, Nebraska; and Chicago.
At least one storm is poised to clash with the cold air over the northern tier this weekend, setting the stage for snow to whiten part of the region and possibly trigger slick travel conditions. "There will be a snow risk from the northern Rockies to the Upper Midwest," Doll said.
One or two weak storms are forecast to track from the Pacific Northwest to the northern Rockies late this week and into the weekend. Seattle will be one of the few places where an umbrella may be needed and Easter egg hunts may be dampened on Saturday and/or Sunday.
The northern storm track will promote great weather for travel and outdoor gatherings from San Francisco to Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Phoenix. "Temperatures will largely be above normal for this time of year from the Southwest to Texas," Doll said.
