A number of low pressure systems will produce unsettled weather across the East and West Coasts today.
Article continues below
In the East, a northern stream system will bring heavy snow to interior Northeast/northern New England today.
Winter Storm Warnings are in effect from northeastern New York through Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine where a swath of heavy snow will likely dump between 6-12 inches with isolated higher amounts through tonight.
To the south, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to impact the rest coastal Northeast down to the southern tip of Florida today.
A particularly heavy axis of rainfall is forecast to setup along the I-95 corridor from Washington DC to Boston today where a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall leading to Flash Flooding is in effect (level 2/4).
Conditions improve across the East Coast on Sunday.
Out West, a potent upper-level low will promote coastal scattered to isolated thunderstorms and low elevation rain showers, while heavy snow blankets the Sierra and Shasta Siskiyous today.
Snow showers spread into the Rockies this afternoon.
Snowfall totals of 6-12 inches are expected for the aforementioned areas by the end of the weekend.
The upper trough associated with the unsettled weather in the West will be responsible for the development of a major winter storm over the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest beginning today.
An extensive and high impact storm system will produce widespread heavy snow and gusty winds over the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest through early next week.
Heavy snow will likely spread across much of central and eastern Montana tonight, then expand into the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest on Sunday and continue into Monday.
There is a high chance (>70%) of at least eight inches of snow extending from portions of the Dakotas and north-central Nebraska northeastward through Minnesota and into northern Wisconsin.
Heavy snow and gusty winds will produce areas of blowing and drifting snow and possible blizzard conditions Sunday into Monday.
Hazardous travel and road closures are expected late Saturday into early next week.
Strong Winds and heavy, wet snow on trees and power lines may result in tree damage and power outages.
Blustery wind gusts in excess of 50 mph on Sunday may result in power outages, blowing dust that results in reduced visibility and damage to property.
There are severe and fire weather concerns within the warm sector of this dynamic system.
There's a Slight Risk of Severe Thunderstorms (level 2/5) across parts of Kansas and Oklahoma on Saturday, where large hail and a few tornadoes will be the main threats.
Strong southwesterly flow beginning today will support an elevated fire weather threat over far western Texas.
Rapid cyclogenesis and strengthening of the Plains winter storm will lead to increased dry southwesterly flow into the Central/Southern High Plains behind a well-defined dry line on Saturday.
These conditions will support a Critical Fire Weather threat on Saturday. ■