How long will cool, unsettled weather last in western US?
The western United States can expect additional rounds of rain and mountain snow as conditions remain unseasonably chilly into midweek.
Residents itching for more sunshine and warmer, springtime weather will be disappointed that such conditions will be on hold into at least the middle of the month.
A storm will bring some rain and mountain snow to California through the end of the weekend.
This storm will not bring a repeat of the torrential rainfall that triggered flooding across California during the middle of this past week.
Still, disruptions to travel and flood cleanup can occur as pockets of light rain spread from north to south across the state over the weekend.
"There can even be isolated thunderstorms and small hail along the Central California coast," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Brian Thompson.
Los Angeles and San Diego may only be dampened by a brief, spotty shower.
In the higher terrain above 3,000 feet across Southern California, there can be enough snow for slippery travel. This may include along the Grapevine corridor of Interstate 5.
Farther north, a few inches of snow can fall in the Sierra Nevada. That pales in comparison to the previous storms that unloaded snow in feet.
The storm is expected to strengthen and gain more moisture as it moves into the Four Corners region and southern Plains early this week.
"The storm can deliver more rain to the deserts of Southern California, including Palm Springs, than Los Angeles," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.
The return of rain will also help to put out the heightened fire risk and rainfall shortages that have plagued the southern Plains in recent days.
However, AccuWeather meteorologists are closely monitoring the potential for the storm to spark severe weather.
"Isolated stronger thunderstorms with hail and damaging winds can erupt across New Mexico on Monday afternoon," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyson Hoegg. "That can be followed by a more significant severe weather event starting later Tuesday in eastern New Mexico and western Texas."
Meanwhile, a new storm will roll into the Pacific Northwest early this week. This storm can unleash a plowable snow from the Cascades eastward to the northern Rockies. Snow may also drop into the central Rockies with the highest amounts in the mountains.
AccuWeather Long-Range Meteorologist Jack Boston expects a quieter and milder pattern to overtake the West during the second half of March.
Coastal parts of the Pacific states can still get a few storms, but the interior West looks much drier beyond the middle of the month, according to Boston.
Download the free AccuWeather app to know exactly when rain or mountain snow can impact your plans and how many layers to put on before heading outside.
