A powerful storm is moving across the Great Plains this afternoon, currently centered over southern Nebraska. Ahead of the storm's cold front, strong, southwesterly winds are producing blinding dust storms and a high risk of wildfires across the Southern Plains.
Farther east and closer the the storm's center, a line of severe thunderstorms is marching across the Midwest. Blizzard conditions are expected on the Northern Plains while a high risk of tornados has been issued for the Gulf Coast States and the front pushes eastward.
Such storm systems are common in spring but, once again, their power will continue to intensify as our climate warms. Here along the Front Range, we are on the back side of the monster storm and downsloping, northwest winds have pushed our afternoon high into the mid 50s F. Had the storm tracked farther to our south, an upslope snowstorm would be in progress.
