Monster Storm Will Bring Rain, Snow, and Ice to Parts of the U.S.

Who Can Expect the Snow?

The biggest story out of this weekend's weather pattern will be the widespread snow. Forecasters are predicting that a narrow zone of snowfall will stretch almost 1,000 miles from the central Rocky Mountains and into the Great Lakes. This impact zone includes the city of Denver, forecast to see 1 - 3 inches of snow.

As is typical, the foothills to the west of the Mile High City will pick up more accumulation with the predictions ranging from 3 to 6 inches. The higher elevations could see up to a foot of snow.

Travelers using Denver International Airport will want to pay heed to any alerts as flight delays and cancelations are a strong possibility throughout the weekend. Motorists should also expect rapidly deteriorating conditions along some portions of interstates 25, 29, 70, 76, and 80 by Saturday night.

Heavy Rain for Areas Farther to the East and South

Areas to the east and the south of the snow line will see the moisture fall as rain. Warmer temperatures in this area will mean significant amounts of rain for central Texas, the southern Plains, and into the middle sections of the Mississippi and Ohio valley.

This rain is forecast to impact the same general area that has already picked up rain as the result of the leftover moisture from what was once Hurricane Norma. For instance, over 4 inches of rain has already been recorded this week in a small area of the central Plains.

This time around, it could be the remnants of the former Hurricane Otis bringing in the moisture from the south. Otis came on shore just after midnight Wednesday near Acapulco, Mexico as a potent Category 5 storm.

Crews are still trying to reach the region to determine the extent of the damage to this popular tourist destination.

While the high winds associated with Otis have already begun to dissipate as the storm moves into the interior portions of Mexico, the leftover moisture may hold together long enough to impact the central U.S. in the coming days.

The heaviest of the rain left from Otis is currently predicted to fall across southern and eastern Texas and into the lower Ohio Valley and the Tennessee Valley.

Although the rain could wash out some outdoor Halloween festivities this weekend, the moisture will undoubtedly be good news for the struggling water levels across the Mississippi River watershed.

The rain will need to fall on the primary tributaries that feed into the Mississippi River to create a positive impact. These tributary rivers include the Ohio, Missouri, and Arkansas rivers.

Ice Event Also a Concern

The small area of land caught between the rain and the snow will be the most likely part of the U.S. to see an early-season ice event this weekend. The air circulating in this region should be cold enough to support the formation of ice on elevated surfaces throughout the southern and central Plains.

The most likely time of development of ice will be late Saturday and into Sunday morning.

This potential impact zone includes the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma, the southeastern corner of Colorado, and southwestern and central Kansas.

There is also a good chance of freezing rain for northeastern Kansas and across the border into northwestern Missouri, including the Kansas City metro area. Other areas that may need to monitor road conditions include Dodge City, Kansas and Amarillo, Texas.

The isolated areas of sleet and freezing rain are also a possibility in the Great Lakes region by the end of the weekend. Major cities such as Chicago and Detroit are forecast to escape the weekend storm with just cold rain.

The beginning days of next week will usher in more of the same with the cold temperatures, setting up a frigid Halloween for many communities in the central U.S. and beyond. Be sure to stay abreast of this developing forecast as you plan your trick-or-treating or other holiday activities.