On Thursday and Friday, up to 12 inches of snow could fall in parts of the central and western United States, putting an end to snow droughts and disrupting travel plans for others.
As seven states prepare for an influx of winter snowstorms, the National Weather Service has issued winter storm watches and warnings. As of Wednesday afternoon, parts of Nebraska, Iowa, New Mexico, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Colorado were all under a winter storm watch.
The Weather Service predicted that heavy snow, strong winds, freezing precipitation, and cold temperatures would hit the seven states by early Thursday and last into Friday.
The cross-country storm isn’t expected to become a bomb cyclone like others earlier this year, but it will be strong enough to bring the first significant snow of the season to western mountain ranges like the Colorado Rockies, according to Accuweather.
This season has seen no significant snowfall in either of the skiing meccas, but the fresh powder will be a welcome sight as resorts prepare for a busy winter with fewer COVID-19 restrictions.
Commuters, on the other hand, maybe inconvenienced by the snowstorm. The National Weather Service has warned that slick roads and low visibility will make travel dangerous.
When the bulk of the snow arrives later Thursday into early Friday in parts of Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming, heavy snow in the Wasatch Range and Rockies is expected to slow travel over the higher terrain along Interstate 25, Interstate 70, and Interstate 80.