A Canadian ‘clipper storm’ threatens to dump inches of snow across northern America while the south fries in a volatile Mexican heat plume.
Cold air flooding in from the north will lock horns with the southerly fire blast to ignite an eruption of heavy wintry downpours, tornadoes, thunderstorms and floods.
Temperatures across southern states could nudge 21C over the coming days, while the north plummets to -3C.
Jim Dale, US weather correspondent and meteorologist for British Weather Services, said: “There is a plume of heat coming up from the Gulf of Mexico, and this will not only push temperatures towards around 70F, but with warmth and humidity bring instability and very unsettled weather to those nearby states.
Snow hits the Great Lakes, rain floods the south
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“We should have all the ingredients for tornadoes, thunderstorms and heavy rain, and with this there will be a risk of flooding.
“It is going to feel nice and warm across the region, however, although with the cold air which comes in behind, we are then expecting temperatures to sink.”
Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, and Kansas – the so-called ‘tornado alley’ – will bear the brunt of the storm assault.
Thermometers will start to soar around the end of the first week of 2024 as a Canadian storm eyes up the north.
The ‘clipper storm’, or ‘Alberta Clipper’ – a fast-moving storm from Canada most likely during – winter threatens to drag a swath of snow across the Great Lakes and into north-eastern America.
New-year revellers are warned to take extra care with severe weather threatening to hamper travel plans.
High surf and coastal flooding Clipper moves in from Canada, brining snow with it
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Accuweather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said: “A storm from central Canada will travel from the Great Lakes to off the Northeast coast as the final hours of 2023 tick away and 2024 begins.
“AccuWeather meteorologists caution that spotty snow associated with this storm could make some roads slippery for New Year's travellers.”
Moist air wafting off the Great Lakes into freezing air temperatures will add to the winter deluge.
Weather Channel meteorologist Kait Parker said: “The next system is bringing rain and snow to the Great Lakes and parts of the north east.
“We're not looking at just a huge smattering of snow here, system is a little bit warmer, so there will be some snow totals a little bit here and there.
“So, if you're itching for a White Christmas, he missed out with a little more snow coming up for the new year.”
The National Weather Service (NOAA) said showers will continue through the start of the week as moisture from the Gulf of Mexico tussles the cold plunge.
A spokesman said: “Light showers are forecast Monday along the Gulf Coast as a passing cold front interacts with some marginally available Gulf moisture.
“Further west, a few spotty showers are also possible in the Desert Southwest as a Pacific system moves along the US/Mexico border."
