A series of storms from the Pacific will collide with frigid air to spread rain and snow across the Northwest and northern Rockies into the weekend.
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00:00 We've been talking for days here about
00:02 our series of storms across the country,
00:04 and here's the thing.
00:05 They've all got to start somewhere,
00:07 and while they might not be
00:08 forming in the northwest,
00:09 they're getting in the northwest
00:11 first before anywhere else.
00:12 And you can see we're still dealing
00:14 with our latest storm moving across
00:16 the northwest, not just the PNW,
00:18 but the interior as well.
00:19 Back up into the northern Rockies,
00:21 some thumping snow into the Bitterroot
00:22 Range into the Lewis Range of Montana,
00:24 and again into the Cascades.
00:26 We're still going on the snowfall.
00:27 In fact,
00:28 we do have winter weather watches.
00:29 Warnings and advisories out for a lot
00:31 of people across the PNW in the
00:33 interior northwest even as you're
00:35 heading out towards cities like Boise.
00:36 We are in a winter storm warning and
00:38 then as you look to this dark blue
00:41 area just into the southeast corner
00:43 of Idaho just stretching over the
00:44 state line toward Montana.
00:46 We are dealing with a blizzard
00:48 warning out for today.
00:49 Now please make sure you're staying
00:50 off the roads if you can in these areas.
00:53 Remember,
00:53 a blizzard is in a run of the mill.
00:56 Snowstorm here.
00:56 It means that not only will you
00:58 have a chance of snowfall probability
01:00 dropping below quarter mile,
01:01 but winds gusting or wind speeds of
01:03 35 miles per hour or more falling
01:05 and blowing snow and all that will
01:06 last for at least three or more hours.
01:08 That's an intense storm,
01:09 my friends,
01:10 and you don't want to be out
01:11 in the middle of it now.
01:13 How much snow are we actually
01:14 getting with this series of storms?
01:16 Well, Monday to Friday.
01:17 These are the grand totals here,
01:18 and we're almost done.
01:19 I mean,
01:20 we've made it through Thursday at least,
01:21 but here's what we're looking at.
01:23 The heaviest snow back into the
01:24 higher elevations of the Cascades,
01:26 not just of Washington,
01:27 but down through Oregon as well.
01:28 You're looking at about a 10 inch
01:30 area in your 24 to 48 inch range,
01:32 so about 2 to 4 feet.
01:34 I want to mention though,
01:35 look at your Accuweather local
01:36 storm X of 100 inches of snow.
01:38 That means if we see localized
01:39 reports of 100 inches,
01:41 we're not going to be surprised,
01:42 especially in those high elevation mountains.
01:44 Then as you're looking a little
01:45 further into the interior Northwest
01:47 cities like Spokane,
01:47 you're just on that line of 6 to 12.
01:50 Right on the line.
01:51 I'd give you about six or so by
01:53 the end of the week Salt Lake City
01:55 into the Wasatch some good snow as well.
01:57 The Wasatch Valley itself.
01:58 A little lower in elevation.
02:00 You're looking more in that three to six range,
02:02 but into the Wasatch itself you're looking
02:04 at tremendous amount of snow this week.
02:06 Skiers and snowboarders.
02:06 I think you're going to like this in the
02:09 long run, but I wouldn't get out in the
02:11 mountain right now while the storm is
02:12 passing and conditions are really windy
02:14 and honestly just kind of uncomfortable.
02:16 Speaking of which, well,
02:16 guess what?
02:17 As this storm passes,
02:18 here comes the coldest air of
02:20 the season moving in from the North.
02:21 We're talking about an Arctic blast here.
02:23 Look how temperatures dive in Helena,
02:25 MT.
02:25 You're way below zero by Friday,
02:27 and these are just the air temperatures.
02:29 17 below on Friday in Helena,
02:31 MT 10 below on Saturday and
02:33 would you look at that?
02:34 We warm up to a toasty 6 below by the
02:37 time we get to Sunday afternoon early
02:39 Saturday morning your record challenging
02:41 lows are going to be ridiculous.
02:43 OK, you ready for this?
02:45 Haver, MT 45 below zero.
02:46 That would absolutely blast past
02:48 the daily record of 35 below.
02:50 Set back in 1916,
02:52 1979 and 1997.
02:53 Great Falls 37 below 27 below.
02:55 And Billings and even looking at a
02:58 measly 21 below zero in Rapid City,
03:00 SD. Make sure you are ready for
03:03 a big cold snap later this weekend.