First fall storm brings snow to Colorado's Rocky Mountains and triggers flooding concerns in the Plains

DENVER – Just in time, the first fall storm of the season will bring cooler temperatures and fresher air to the central U.S. after a thin layer of snow fell in Colorado's Rocky Mountains over the weekend.

The astronomical snowfall began Sunday, a morning after the higher elevations of Colorado's Rocky Mountains got a taste of winter weather, with snow covering mountain peaks. About an hour west of Denver, Arapahoe Basin Ski Resort received about 2 inches of new snow, a welcome sight for Colorado ski territory.

The National Weather Service in Boulder, Colorado, issued winter weather advisories for areas above 10,000 feet, where snowfall amounts of up to 8 inches were expected. The advisories for the Rocky Mountains expired Sunday afternoon as snowfall eased and a cooler, wetter week was expected in the Prairies and Midwest.

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Autumn storm is approaching.
(FOX Weather)

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“The obvious reason this is a fall storm is because of the snowfall and then the tremendous cooling that we're expecting as well,” said Nick Kosir, meteorologist at FOX Weather.

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On Sunday, tornado sirens blared in Muncie, Indiana, as reports emerged that a tornado had touched down nearby. A video filmed by X-user @enzonanozone shows dark clouds rotating outside the uploader's home.

On Monday, an eastward-moving low pressure system will bring rain from the Plains to the Midwest, possibly causing severe weather with hail and damaging winds.

Cities like St. Louis and Little Rock are expected to see heavy rains on Monday, gusty at times. 2 to 3 inches of rain could fall, causing localized flooding.

Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible in parts of the Ozarks and the valleys of Tennessee and Ohio on Monday. NOAA's Storm Prediction Center has highlighted a risk of severe thunderstorms at level 1 out of 5 for cities such as Nashville and Knoxville in Tennessee, Louisville and Lexington in Kentucky, and Little Rock.

Rain is forecast for the central United States through Tuesday.
(FOX Weather)

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Temperatures drop behind the front

Cooler, “autumn-like” temperatures will cause a 30-degree difference between Sunday’s highs and what feels like temperatures in cities on Monday and Tuesday.

Temperature drop compared to average on Monday.
(FOX Weather)

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Memphis was forecast to have temperatures in the 30s on Sunday, but the front will bring temperatures down to 15 to 21 degrees early this week. Tulsa also had temperatures in the 27s on Sunday, but temperatures are expected to drop to 21 degrees early this week.