A deep area of low pressure will move into the Pacific Northwest today, bringing with it a substantial plume of Pacific moisture.
Article continues below
Rain showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected along the coast and inland low-lying areas over the next couple of days.
A few feet of snow will blanket the Oregon Cascades as well.
This system will deepen as it moves farther inland, setting the stage for an intense late season winter storm to impact the Rockies and Northern Plains.
Heavy snow and high winds are forecast to spread into the Rockies and Northern Plains this evening.
Over a foot of snow is likely to accumulate between eastern Montana and central North Dakota on Tuesday.
Blizzard-like conditions are possible for this area due to strong winds coupling with high snow rates.
Power outages and difficult travel conditions are likely.
Winter Storm Watches, Warnings and Advisories are in effect for the southern Cascades, Rockies and the Northern Plains.
Downstream of this winter storm, a weaker storm system will impact the Mississippi Valley, Midwest and Northeast today.
Rain and scattered to isolated thunderstorms will focus along a cold front moving through the aforementioned areas.
This slow moving cold front may cause rain rates to be high enough over parts of the Tennessee/Middle Mississippi Valley that isolated instances of flash flooding occur.
Heightened instability clashing with the weak cold front over the Southern Plains and Middle/Lower Mississippi Valley will be conducive to the development of isolated to scattered severe thunderstorms through this evening.
The Storm Prediction Center issued a Slight and an embedded Enhanced Risk of severe thunderstorms from northeast Texas to the Mid-South for today.
The winter storm will continue to deepen and become more dynamic as it enters into the Great Plains on Tuesday.
Rain and thunderstorms are expected to expand across the Plains and Mississippi Valley Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning.
Thunderstorms are possible over much of this area where the Storm Prediction Center has issued another Slight and embedded Enhanced Risk of severe thunderstorms.
Heavy rainfall may focus around Louisiana and the greater Lower Mississippi Valley on Tuesday where a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall is in effect.
Dry conditions beneath this low pressure system will exacerbate an ongoing extreme drought over the Southwest and Southern/Central Plains.
This, combined with high winds and warmer than normal temperatures, will contribute to a Critical Risk of Fire Weather through midweek.
There is an Extreme Risk of Fires for parts of the Texas/Oklahoma panhandle and into southern Kansas on Tuesday due to the potential for 30-40 mph sustained winds, 50+ mph gusts and unusually warm/dry conditions.
A dangerous fire weather outbreak is possible as a result. ■