An energetic upper-level pattern including a deepening trough over the West as well as a couple frontal systems pushing southward over the western/central U.S. will lead to significant, widespread snow as well as other hazardous weather this week.
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Heavy higher elevation/mountain snow has begun to spread southward early Monday through the Cascades and Northern Rockies and will expand into California, the Great Basin, the Central Rockies and the Southwest through Tuesday.
Storm total snowfall will likely be measured in feet for many of the mountain ranges across the West.
Lower elevation interior valleys can expect to see a rain/snow mix with little to no snow accumulation.
Moderate to heavy snow showers will also begin to expand across the Northern Plains and into the Upper Midwest on Tuesday and continue beyond the current forecast period into the day Wednesday.
An axis of significant accumulating snow is likely from eastern Montana into the Dakotas and Minnesota/Wisconsin.
Gusty winds will also lead to areas of blowing snow.
In addition to the snow, there will be moderate to locally heavy rainfall as well as isolated thunderstorm chances for the coastal Pacific Northwest.
A cold front pushing southward as well as a rapidly deepening surface low over the Great Basin will lead to widespread strong, gusty winds Tuesday across much of California, the Great Basin, and the Southwest.
A subtle shortwave aloft will drive a clipper frontal system across the northern tier of the country, bringing light to moderate snow to the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes Monday and into the Interior Northeast by Tuesday.
A broad swath of accumulating snow is expected across northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Some locally heavier totals will be possible in favorable lake and higher elevation locations across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Portions of the Upper Midwest will see little break between this this system and impacts from the major winter storm approaching immediately thereafter.
Accumulating snowfall should be more isolated to higher elevation mountains of the Interior Northeast.
This clipper system, as well as a second frontal system to the south, will bring some light to moderate shower chances to the Southern/Central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic Monday and into coastal New England Tuesday.
Temperatures will be upwards of 10-20 degrees above normal across the central and eastern U.S.Monday.
Highs will be in the 40s-50s from the the Lower Great Lakes into the Interior Northeast/New England, 50s and 60s for the Central Plains, Ohio Valley, and Mid-Atlantic, and into the 70s for the Southern Plains and Southeast, with some low 80s for Texas and Florida.
Highs Tuesday will be similarly above average for most locations, including 70s expanding northward into the Mid-Atlantic, with only the northern tier cooling off as the clipper system passes through.
It should be noted that in addition to the winter storm, another major weather story will be even more anomalously warm highs in the East, with numerous record high maximum temperatures possible, as well as much below normal, record low maximum/minimum temperatures across the West in the mid- to late week just beyond the current forecast period. ■
Modified arctic air combined with a moisture-laden area of low pressure along the Gulf Coast will continue to allow for a broad area of winter weather impacts from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Southeast today into early Saturday morning.