Wintry weather on tap from the West Coast to the Northeast United States

As we start another work week, the western United States is getting blasted by wave after wave of deep moisture. Some of that activity will work its way across the northern tier and into the Northeast with time, potentially bringing a risk of significant freezing rain to locations from the Midwest to the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic midweek.

p.s.: Over the weekend, I managed to meet up with a wintertime staple. Unfortunately, it’s the flu. These may be a bit on the short side until I am back at 100%.

Weather Watch

Atmospheric rivers slam the West Coast. With widespread rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches around San Francisco, and 3 to 6 inches north, up to a foot or more of rain has fallen in the foothills of the Sierra and nearby mountains over recent days. The Seattle area also picked up its first real snow of the season. A lot more precipitation is on the way for northern and central California, especially through midweek.

Icy mess. Significant ice and snow are possible from the north-central to Northeast United States this week. The worst may focus from near Chicago, through Detroit and from West Virginia to Pennsylvania on Wednesday and Thursday.

Lightning links

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Sunday. That means six more weeks of winter.

The sun has been kicking out big flares recently, including a powerful M-class explosion pointed at Earth.

Monday morning weather map

Given relatively mild temperatures at the core of the atmospheric river, snow elevations were super high in California over the weekend despite snow around Seattle. They’ll be a little lower this week, which should translate to better snow odds at resort level.

Winter storm warnings are up for the mountains in central and northern California, as well as southern Oregon, then northeastward toward Montana. About 3 to 4 feet is expected at the highest elevations around Tahoe over the next two days.

About 

Weekday morning newsletter by a journalist/forecaster that connects weather and climate change dots while occasionally stirring the pot.

Find this interesting? Forward it on and tell a friend!