Before temperatures plunge next week, drenching storms will soak the central US

Temperatures will tumble in the central United States behind a storm set to bring rain and locally severe thunderstorms from Sunday into Monday.

The chilly air plunging in behind the storm will even allow for some snow to fall, but a repeat of the winterlike storm from earlier in the month is not anticipated. With that storm, heavy snow fell from the Northwest to the Colorado Rockies and northern Plains amid a dramatic temperature plunge.

This upcoming storm, which will first target the Northwestern states with more rain and mountain snow, will trim highs by 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit from their peak this weekend to early next week.

"Unlike a couple of storms that have already dumped copious amounts of snow in low elevations so far this fall, most snow will be confined to the northern and central Rockies this time," AccuWeather Meteorologist Ryan Adamson said.

The exception to this will be Sunday night and into Monday, as the storm pushes eastward.

With the storm pulling cold air down on the back-side, rain will mix with some wet snowflakes across part of the northern Plains into Monday. Little accumulation is expected for most.

While cold will follow the storm, warmth out ahead of it will bring rain and thunderstorms to a majority of the nation's midsection.

Some locations could pick up 1-2 inches of rain, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys. Higher amounts are possible in any heavier thunderstorms.

Since this storm will be moving into an unseasonably warm and humid air mass, severe weather will be a possibility on Sunday evening and Sunday night, according to Adamson.

"Heavy rain, damaging winds and even an isolated tornado will all be possible," Adamson added.

The area at risk for these severe thunderstorms will stretch from southeastern Kansas to southwestern Missouri, central and eastern Oklahoma, western Arkansas and northeastern Texas.

On Monday, rain and thunderstorms will progress eastward, and there is the potential for heavy to locally severe thunderstorms to stretch from the Ohio Valley to the west-central Gulf Coast.

"At the very least, heavy rain will be possible from Minnesota down through parts of Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and southeastern Texas," Adamson said.

The combination of the rain, clouds and strengthening winds around the storm can lead to travel headaches at the major hubs of Minneapolis, Chicago and Houston.

Motorists on area interstates will face reduced visibility and a heightened risk of hydroplaning while traveling at highway speeds. Roadways will be extra slick where leaves have fallen and become wet.

Highs will come crashing down 10-20 degrees F with the passage of the storm.

Dallas is projected to be near 90 on Sunday, but will fall into the middle 70s at the start of the traditional workweek. Minneapolis will spend Tuesday in the 40s after being in the 60s over the weekend.

A more significant plunge of cold air is likely to sweep into the nation's midsection by late next week.

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