Storms packing rain, mountain snow to roll into California, southwestern US
Late winter storms coming to the western United States into next week can help ease building drought conditions in some areas and may lead to travel problems in others.
As eagles Jackie and Shadow tended to their 3 eggs on March 3, multiple cracks appeared in the eggs as the babies began to break out of the eggs in the Big Bear Valley nest.
Multiple storms will continue to swing in from the Pacific, travel across California and through the interior southwestern United States into next week, AccuWeather meteorologists say. Each storm will bring mountain snow and soaking showers that may help to turn the corner on or slow down building drought in some areas. However, they may also lead to flooding and snow-clogged roads.
" Through next week, the weather pattern in the West [and especially the Southwest] will be more active with multiple storms coming through," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Heather Zehr said, "This means multiple opportunities to add to the snowpack and groundwater."
Coastal areas from south of San Francisco to San Diego can pick up a general 1 inch or so of rain from through Thursday. However, two to four times that amount can fall on the west- and southwest-facing slopes of the Coast Ranges. This is enough rain to trigger urban flooding and lead to mudslides and other debris flows, especially in recent burn scar locations.
Snow levels will lower substantially through Friday in the Sierra Nevada. From several inches to a couple of feet of snow can fall on the ridges and peaks in the mountain range from the storm into the end of the week. 4 to 8 inches of snow is likely to fall on Donner Pass, California, along Interstate 80.
"Some of the cold and snow will be able to get down to the Transverse Ranges in Southern California before the end of the week, where there hasn't been a lot this winter," Zehr warned.
Roads may be slippery and snow-covered for a time in the Southern California passes, including the Grapevine and the Interstate 5 corridor.
Freezing levels will rise during the weekend with a break in the storms and then plummet next week.
More storms will follow next week with one system due to roll in and reach central and southern parts of California from later Monday to Tuesday. A stronger storm is forecast to quickly follow along much of the West Coast by the middle of the week.
"The storm from next Wednesday to Thursday looks to be the most substantial or most moisture-packed of the bunch," Zehr said, "There's a substantial risk for heavy rain and mountain snow from it through the West Coast states with snow levels much lower than what has occurred for much of the winter season."
Drought conditions have been building in the southwestern U.S. since the fall when rain failed to return in earnest.
The stormy pattern may help ease the dry brush and low soil moisture which has been so problematic with wildfires in recent months.
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
Report a Typo
