Multiple storms to usher in rain and mountain snow to the West
Storms moving into the West through the early week will bring beneficial rain and mountain snow, causing difficult travel in the passes.
Heavy snow will create travel headaches in the high passes.
Two storms will make their way into the western United States this week, bringing rain, spotty thunderstorms and mountain snow to the region.
Showers persisted Saturday from California into western Washington as the next storm moved onshore across Northern California Saturday night. The storm expanded across the Southwest Sunday. This storm was stronger compared to the previous storm that moved through the region late last week, with more in the way of heavier rain across portions of Northern and Central California. The rain was welcome due to ongoing drought conditions.
Colder air accompanying the storm led to heavy mountain snow and difficult travel across Sierra Nevada passes Saturday night into Sunday. Donner Pass along I-80 was briefly closed Sunday due to snow, but has since reopened.
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On Monday, the majority of the region had dried out aside from a few lingering showers ahead of the next storm forecast to sweep through the area.
Latest storm to focus across the Northwest
Another storm will make its way into the West Tuesday and Wednesday, this time focusing farther north across the Northwest and portions of Idaho and western Montana, spreading rain and mountain snow across the area.
Rainfall across eastern Washington, northeastern Oregon and northern Idaho will be beneficial as much of the area is in at least moderate drought according to the latest update of the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Chilly air will accompany the storm as it moves through the region, dropping snow levels into Wednesday, promoting snow to the terrain, including the Washington and Oregon Cascades. There can be difficult travel across some of the passes.
Looking ahead to later this week, drier conditions are expected to return to the Northwest while dry weather persists farther south across much of California.
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