Heavy snow in Midwest, HUGE waves in Hawaii

[Jeb]

Heavy snow portions of Upper Midwest

12:12 P.M. ET 12/20/2004

 

B. Bernard, Sr. Meteorologist, The Weather Channel

 

 

Winter storm warnings are posted for portions of the Upper Midwest this afternoon as a push of relatively milder air toward the region triggers locally heavy snow. The warnings are posted for northeast Wisconsin, the eastern U. P. of Michigan and the Lake Michigan shore of northern lower Michigan. As much as 10 inches of snow may coat some locations in the warned areas.

 

In the Northeast, an area of scattered light snow over eastern New England at midday is diminishing and shifting eastward on the periphery of a big ocean storm. By this evening, only eastern Maine and Cape Cod may see some lingering, wind-driven flurries. Some spots in southern New England and southern New Hampshire have picked up around a half foot of fresh snow so far.

 

In the West, high wind warnings remain in effect for eastern Montana, much of the western Dakotas, parts of Wyoming and northeast Colorado in anticipation of gusts as high as 65 mph today. The blustery weather is occuring in advance of a new arctic front pushing southward out of Canada.

 

In Hawaii, huge surf is once again rolling toward the islands from a deep storm centered south of the Aleutian Islands. The first big swells are expected to arrive this afternoon, then peak on Wednesday. Although unusual, some of the biggest waves will pound west-facing shores. The highest waves, 40 to 50 feet, are forecast to smash onto west and north-facing beaches of Niihau and Kauai, and north-facing shores of Oahu.