Major storm system approaching the West Coast is expected to run havoc across the US
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Ominous satellite images capture a major storm brewing on the West Coast to wreak havoc across the US as forecasters predict three feet of snow, tornadoes, blizzards and rain showers
- A large storm system brewing in the Pacific will hit the US on Saturday.
- Forecast to bring snow to the West Coast mountains and heavy rain
After passing the Rocky Mountains on Sunday, the storm is expected to bring blizzard-like conditions to the Northern Plains. - It will also spawn tornado-producing storms in the South on Tuesday.
- The storm will then move to the northeast, where it is expected to produce some snow and rain by the end of the week.
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A large storm system developing in the Pacific is expected to bring heavy rain, snow and even tornadoes to the US when it hits the country on Saturday.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service Prediction Center said the storm would bring one to three feet of snow across the West Coast mountains before hitting the northern plains with a blizzard.
By midweek it will create conditions for tornado-producing storms in the South, then bring heavy rain and possible snowfall to the Northeast by the end of the week.
The NWS said the storm system is expected to hit the West Coast on Saturday morning, warning those in the Sierra Nevada and mountain ranges that they could see three inches of snow per hour.
“This will result in an extremely dangerous journey, especially through the mountain passes,” the weather monitoring organization said. “If you must travel, be prepared for rapidly changing conditions and pack supplies for winter driving.”
A large storm system brewing in the Pacific will hit the US on Saturday bringing snow, tornadoes and heavy rain across the country for the next week.
After passing the Rocky Mountains on Sunday, the storm is expected to bring blizzard-like conditions to the northern Plains and spawn storms that spawn tornadoes in the south.
Along with the snowfall, the storm is expected to bring widespread rainfall that could inundate California’s coastal areas.
As the storm moves west past the Rocky Mountains, forecasters said it would create blizzard-like conditions on the Northern Plains.
Greg Carbin, head of forecast operations for the Weather Prediction Center, told the New York Times Heavy snow and strong winds are expected in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas on Monday and Tuesday.
While the exact amount of snow has yet to be determined, Carbin said there was a high chance areas could see at least a foot.
“The potential is there for some really impressive numbers,” he told the Times, as he expects this storm system will likely slow down afterwards.
But while the north is covered in snow, the south will experience strong thunderstorms that forecasters warn could spawn tornadoes.
Harold Brooks, principal scientist at the National Severe Storms Laboratory, said that while winter tornadoes are rare, they can often be more dangerous than their summer counterparts.
He told the Times that because the days are shorter in winter, it means a tornado is more likely to strike after dark and make it harder for people to spot them.
The NWS issued a tornado watch for Tuesday and Wednesday over Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi.
The NWS issued advisories in the mountainous regions of the West Coast for the weekend snowfall.
It also issued tornado warnings in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi on Tuesday and Wednesday.
What the storm will bring Thursday, Friday and over the weekend on the East Coast is less certain.
Carbin told the Times that heavy snowfall is unlikely, but the Northeast is likely to see some snow and rain.
Upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania, and the southern half of New England will likely see a few inches of snow next Sunday.
Carbin, however, noted that the forecast could change depending on how the storm system changes as it travels across the country next week.