Eastern Cornbelt:
A strong weather system spawned at least 11 tornadoes in Illinois and northwestern Indiana and five tornadoes in Ohio on Feb. 27-28. The cluster of storms also brought hail up to two inches in diameter, heavy downpours, lightning, and very strong winds to the region.
The tornadoes ranged in intensity from EF-0 to EF-2, causing significant structural damage and widespread power outages. Tornado damage was also reported in Grand Blanc, Mich., while northern areas of the state were hit with high winds and snow flurries at midweek.
Western Cornbelt:
After posting record highs near the 80s on Feb. 26, temperatures in central and northern Iowa plunged to the teens and single digits at midweek, with snow flurries reported in some areas.
High winds accompanied the winter precipitation, but unseasonably mild weather returned by the end of the week, with temperatures hitting the 60s and weekend highs once again expected near the 80s.
Dry, windy conditions prompted red flag fire warnings across Nebraska as the week progressed, with highs in the upper-50s and 60s. Scattered showers were in the weekend forecast for parts of the state.
California:
Winter Storm Orzelle was expected to drop up to 12 feet of snow in California’s Sierra Nevada from Feb. 29 to March 3, prompting blizzard warnings for the northern and central Sierra, including Lake Tahoe, and for eastern Nevada.
Winter storm warnings for snow and strong winds were also in effect for other parts of Northern California, the Cascades and western Nevada, including Reno. Strong winds were expected to accompany the snowfall, along with up to an inch of rainfall at lower elevations in Northern and Southern California.
The upper elevation snowfall is needed for the state’s water supply. Although powerful storms brought surplus rain to much of the state earlier this winter, the Sierra snowpack was only 80% of what it should be by Feb. 28.
Pacific Northwest:
The same powerful weather system that brought heavy snow to Northern California also prompted a round of weather warnings in western Oregon late in the week.
Forecasts warned of 1-2 feet of snow from Feb. 28 to March 1 at higher elevations in the Cascades, with 4-11 inches expected below 2,500 feet. The Coast Range was also under a winter storm advisory, with 2-14 inches of snow, 55 mph winds, and heavy rain at lower elevations.
The storm was expected to bring strong winds to southern Idaho and gusty winds and rain to western Washington late in the week, with forecasts warning of potential power outages in both regions.
The prior weekend brought 2-6 inches of snow to the valleys of western Montana, with a foot or more reported at higher elevations. The snowfall was accompanied by strong winds, with another round of wind and winter precipitation on tap for the first weekend in March.
Western Canada:
A fast-moving Alberta clipper prompted winter storm warnings in parts of Saskatchewan on Feb. 26, as 48 mph wind gusts and snow flurries pushed temperatures down to below zero and wind chills to the negative 20s.
A second system was expected to bring heavy snow to Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba over the coming weekend, with 10-30 cm of accumulation possible in central and southern Saskatchewan and up to 40 cm in parts of Manitoba. Forecasts warned of temperatures in Alberta plunging 15-20 degrees on Feb. 29 and lows dropping to -20 C.