Winter storm warnings have been issued across nine states, with a potent winter storm poised to unleash heavy snowfall in mountainous regions of the Northwest and Central Plains.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued alerts for Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, cautioning of blowing snow and strong winds.
According to the latest forecast from the NWS, the storm is anticipated to traverse the Northwest initially, moving into the northern Rockies by Monday and then advancing into the central Rockies by Tuesday evening.
The NWS warns of snowfall rates ranging from 1 to 2 inches per hour in the Oregon Cascades and Northern Rockies on Monday, which will extend into the Great Basin and Central Rockies by Tuesday. Coupled with wind gusts of 50-65 mph, these snow rates are expected to create near-blizzard conditions, significantly reducing visibility and causing snow-covered roads, thus posing risks for travel. Significant snow accumulations are forecasted across the region, with the Cascades projected to receive over 2 feet of snow through Tuesday, and localized amounts potentially reaching 4 feet. Additionally, snow is expected to accumulate in valleys.
In west-central Washington and Oregon, snowfall predictions include up to 20 inches across the Cascades, with elevations above 2,000 feet expecting around 2 feet of snow, accompanied by wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour.
Western states are bracing for another round of wintry onslaught as up to 18 inches of snow and winds clocking at 60 miles per hour are forecasted for mountainous regions of Idaho. Meanwhile, western Montana anticipates up to 2 feet of snow and strong winds, leading to blowing and drifting snow, with wind chills plummeting to as low as minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Further south, western and north-central Wyoming are in the path of heavy snowfall, with potential accumulations of up to 18 inches and winds peaking at 70 miles per hour. Central Utah is gearing up for up to 2 feet of snowfall and wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour.
In Colorado, both western and central regions brace for blowing snow and possible accumulations of up to 3 feet at higher elevations, accompanied by fierce winds reaching 85 miles per hour. The hazardous conditions are likely to render travel extremely difficult, if not impossible, with wind chills posing frostbite risks on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.
The treacherous weather extends into the Sangre de Cristo and Tusas mountains of New Mexico, where 18 inches of snowfall and winds gusting as high as 75 miles per hour are anticipated.
Northeastern Nevada anticipates up to 10 inches of snow above 6,500 feet, along with winds of 55 miles per hour. The Ruby and Humboldt mountains have been issued a blizzard warning, with expectations of reduced visibility due to 20 inches of snow and 70-mile-an-hour winds.
This imminent weather follows a series of potent atmospheric river storms from the Pacific, which earlier in the month caused widespread flooding in California.
Western states have already weathered numerous rounds of heavy snowfall this winter, enduring a relentless barrage of atmospheric river storms that triggered a rare blizzard warning for Seattle in early January.
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