The most impactful weather system to affect the U.S. through midweek is forecast to move across California and the Southwest on Tuesday.
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A rapidly strengthening low pressure system to deepen off the West Coast will swing toward the central California coast and produce potentially damaging wind gusts, heavy rain, and heavy mountain snow.
The strong pressure gradient associated with the anomalously low pressure could lead to maximum wind gusts near 75 mph across Southern California, with gusts up to 50 mph across central California.
Additionally, a surge of subtropical moisture will accompany this system and create a ripe environment for heavy rain from the central coastline to Southern California.
Heavy rain is likely to lead to rapid runoff and areas of flooding across southern California, with isolated flooding instances possible for regions to the north.
For the mountainous terrain of the southern/central Sierra Nevada and Southern California, heavy snow will be the primary hazard as snowfall accumulations add up to as much as 3 to 4 feet in spots.
This additional snowfall will lead to difficult travel and could strain infrastructure in areas still buried under a record-breaking snowpack for the year-to-date.
Impacts are also anticipated to spread farther inland during the second half of Tuesday across the Southwest, central Great Basin, and south/central Rockies.
Gusty southwesterly winds up to 60 mph are possible across the Desert Southwest, with heavy rain and localized flash flooding possible across parts of central Arizona.
Elevated terrain from central Nevada to western Colorado can expect heavy snow to last into Wednesday.
Dangerous to difficult travel is likely, with most mountain ranges experiencing over a foot of snowfall.
Numerous wind, flood, and winter headlines have been issued for the upcoming storm.
Be sure to check with your local forecast office for details.
Wintry weather will also impact the north-central U.S. through early Thursday as two separate systems traverse the region.
Between Tuesday and Wednesday morning, a low pressure system is forecast to swing from the northern Plains to the Upper Great Lakes, with locally heavy snow possible just to the north from southeast North Dakota to northern Minnesota.
Snowfall amounts up to 7 inches are possible and when combined with areas of blowing snow, visibility could be reduced and create treacherous driving conditions.
The next system to impact the central U.S.
is expected to swing eastward late-Wednesday and produce the potential for a swath of additional snowfall from south Dakota to southern Minnesota (so just to the south of the first storm).
Snowfall totals could add up to over 4 inches.
Farther south and east, scattered showers and thunderstorms are anticipated to develop along a stationary front Wednesday night across portions of the Midwest.
Elsewhere, one more chilly morning is on the way for the Southeast on Tuesday before springlike temperatures migrate eastward from the southern Plains by midweek.
Low temperatures tonight are still likely to dip below freezing throughout the Tennessee Valley and Southeast.
Freeze Warnings and Frost Advisories have been issued from eastern Mississippi to the Carolinas in order to highlight the potential for damage to sensitive vegetation and unprotected outdoor plumbing. ■