Winter weather is still in the forecast for much of the Midwest and northeast, but now, the west is also in for some precipitation, as well as some very heavy snowfall. Winter Storm Orion will be delivering some much needed snow to the western mountains of California. This snow will continue to fall at low elevations, and this could create some travel hassles. This winter storm cell will continue to pour light amounts of snow to parts of the Midwest and Northeast over the weekend.
Washington, Oregon, and Vancouver have all seen some snowfall in the areas of lower elevation. 11.5 inches was even recorded in Corvallis. In Portland, they recorded about 4 inches of snow, which made that day the fifth single day snowfall total in the city since 1940. Another cold front will make its way into Oregon on Friday, which will allow more inclement weather to affect the western Region of the U.S.
In the next few days, northern California will see significant amounts of rainfall and it will stay consistent. California has been undoubtedly been going through a drought recently, and this large cell of precipitation will help alleviate some of those dry conditions. In the Sierra Nevada, snowfalls will reach about 4 feet higher by the end of the week. States like Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, and Colorado will also see snowfall due to Orion. This snow is expected to fall in areas that are abnormally dry according to the U.S Drought Monitor.
On the warmer side of Orion, it will produce heavy precipitation of 1 to 3 inches throughout the weekend to the lower elevations of California. This cell will produce the heaviest rainfall of the winter thus far. On Saturday, light snow is predicted for Iowa, parts of Illinois, and Minnesota. This cell of light wintry mix will then head into the Midwest and Northeast.
This winter has been tough for many residents living in the Midwest and Northeast, but next week is supposed to lighten up snowfall wise. The cold temperatures will continue, as this season has been below average temperature wise. You should always take precautions in the winter time when it comes to keeping your home winterized. This will help fight against any cold weather issues that could occur on your property. It is also a good idea to keep an emergency kit when the weather is quite cold in case of a power outage.
For any further updates on Winter Storm Orion, check the Weather Channel or your local weather authority.