What is a clipper?

It’s a term that pops up quite a bit in our forecasts over the winter. An Alberta Clipper is a storm system that moves from, you got it, Alberta, and moves east-southeast into the Midwest. These storms don’t have a plentiful supply of moisture and are fast-moving systems, so snowfall totals are usually on the low end. 1-3″ of snow is more common out of a clipper.

Larger storm systems that can have a more significant impact on the Midwest come our way from the southwest. They can be referred to as a Panhandle Hook, Texas Hook, or Colorado Low, depending on where the storm comes from once its east of the Rockies and can tap into more moisture.