Snowstorm Targets Four Corners Region
Click on this video for more details on the snowstorm and breaking weather across the U.S.
After hammering California with low-elevation snow, flooding rain and even locally severe storms, a storm system is moving on to drop disruptive snow across the Four Corners region through tonight.
Very cold air is entrenched in the storm digging across the Southwest, so snow will make rare appearances across relatively low elevations of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado.
The mountains will get clobbered by heavy snow.
Meteorologist Heather Buchman warned on Friday that snow could cause disruptions along the Grapevine, I-5, in Southern California. Accumulating snow forced officers to escort vehicles along the Grapevine to slow traffic Friday night.
For a larger version of this snow map, visit the AccuWeather.com Winter Weather Center.
Some of the higher elevations around the San Francisco Bay area also got snow on Friday night for the first time in 35 years.
There were even reports of snowflakes flying around Las Vegas early Sunday morning, first hinted last week by Buchman.
Not far to the north and east of Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz., accumulating snow will fall in elevations of around 2,500 feet through today. While snow is not expected to fall in these cities, damp weather and plummeting temperatures will make it feel wintry.
Meanwhile, the heaviest snow, 6-12 inches, will thump over mountains of Arizona and southern Utah through this morning before winding down this afternoon.
Martha Connell, left, pulls her sons, Lee Cooper, 9, right, and Nelson Cooper, 11, down the sidewalk after a cold weather system rolled through the area, dropping snow in Portland, Ore., Thursday, Feb. 24, 2011. This is the same cold storm system impacting the Southwest now. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)
Flagstaff, Ariz., is included in cities and towns that will be digging out from the hefty snow later today.
Three to 6 inches of snow will also fall over the mountains of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico through the end of the weekend.
Higher elevations just north and east of Santa Fe, N.M., will get a few inches of fresh snow.
A mix of rain and snow with little to no accumulation is even expected in Albuquerque, N.M., on Sunday.
Travel will be impacted by the snow along portions of I-15, I-25 and I-40 through the rest of the weekend. Gusty winds will occasionally add to the messy travel by blowing snow around and further reducing the visibility.
By tonight, major cities along the I-25 corridor will get some snow showers, but little to no accumulation is expected. Denver will get a light dusting at best.
AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Bill Deger contributed to the content of this story
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 107° | Death Valley, CA |
| Low | 28° | Daniel, WY |
| Precip | 2.39" | Alexandria, MN |
WeatherWhys®
People need to pay close attention to the UV index during this time of year. On a sunny day late in the spring and into the summer, the UV is usually at least an 8, which is very high. Readings over 11 are considered extreme values in which only 10 minutes of full exposure to the sun will produce a sunburn.
This Day In Weather History
New Hampshire (1814)
A tornado crossed Merrimac, Litchfield, Londonderry and North Chester. The same storm produced hailstones that had an 11-inch circumference and weighed 1/2 pound.
Northeast (1989)
More rain in an already wet month. Monthly totals topped 11 inches at New York City, 9 inches at Bridgeport, Conn., and 8 inches at Baltimore (all three totals set records for May).
Rough Weather
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