This morning, the Great Plains awoke to a roar as a severe northwest windstorm swept over eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. Gusts up to 55 mph are rushing across open fields and interstates, prompting the National Weather Service in Omaha to issue a High Wind Warning until midmorning.
Winds this powerful can collapse trees, down power lines, and make driving dangerous, particularly for high-profile automobiles on I-80, Highway 75, and I-29. Officials advise drivers to secure loose objects, slow down, and avoid towering trees at gust peaks.
As skies clear later today, temperatures will remain in the low 30s, but the air will feel much colder due to strong northwest winds. Meteorologists predict that the blustery setting will give way to quiet but chilly temperatures Thursday before another cold surge and minor snow possibility Friday night into Saturday.
Low temperatures may drop into the single digits by the weekend, and wind chills may fall below zero in northeast Nebraska and western Iowa. Light snow could fall along the Missouri River Valley, resulting in a dusting and slippery places by early Saturday.
Five-Day Forecast (Omaha, Nebraska / Council Bluffs, Iowa):
- Thursday: Mostly cloudy, high 40°F, low 26°F.
- Friday: Cloudy, chance of flurries, high 29°F, low 13°F.
- Saturday: Slight chance of snow, high 21°F, low 3°F.
- Sunday: Cold and sunny, high 22°F, low 7°F.
- Monday: Mostly sunny, high 39°F.
Leave a Reply