The West will finally cash in on a deep and cold storm cycle this week. The Sierra Nevada Range, including Tahoe and Mammoth, will catch the brunt of this storm cycle with snow totals over the next 5 days ranging from 3 to 7 feet, and this snow will be powder too, with cold air in place. 

Elsewhere, snow totals will range from 1-3 feet across most of the Rockies as well as the Oregon Cascades, while higher amounts of 2-4 feet can be expected in the Wasatch Range in Utah. 

Forecast for Monday (Feb 16):

The storm will begin across the West with heavy snow developing over the Sierra, while pockets of moderate to heavy snow can also be expected over Oregon, Southern/Central Idaho, and Southern British Columbia. 

In the East, New York will see some light snow early on Monday as a weak storm departs the region.

Forecast for Tuesday (Feb 17):

Heavy snow will fall across California and, to a lesser extent, Oregon as two waves move through, while widespread moderate to heavy snow will also develop across the Rockies, favoring Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho. An arctic front sliding into the Canadian Rockies will also lead to locally heavy snowfall. 

Forecast for Wednesday (Feb 18):

Another day of significant snowfall can be expected from the Sierra into the Rockies, with deep totals continuing to add up, while light to moderate snow will fall across the Northwest and Northern Rockies.

A storm will also track along the U.S./Canada border across the Upper Midwest into the Northeast with heavy snow for portions of the Upper Midwest, though sharp boundaries between snow, ice, and rain on the southern fringe of the system are also expected. 

Forecast for Thursday (Feb 19):

The storm track will begin to ease somewhat across the West, but another storm moving through will bring additional widespread snow to nearly all ski regions, with the Sierra and the Oregon Cascades favored once again. Across the Rockies, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming will also see some sneaky good totals.

The Upper Midwest to Northeast storm will also linger into early Thursday with additional snow and mixed precipitation expected.

Forecast for Friday (Feb 20):

Snow showers will linger across the West for one more day, with activity tapering off across the Sierra and Cascades first, while heavier snow showers will continue for a bit longer across the Rockies. 

Another storm is possible across the Upper Midwest and Northeast, with snow, ice, and rain all a possibility, but confidence in the storm track is low right now. 

Outlook for Sat (Feb 21) to Wed (Feb 25):

In the West, milder air will return to the Southern Rockies while the West Coast and Northwest will continue to see below-average temperatures. The dominant storm track should also favor the Northwest and Northern Rockies, with stronger storms potentially dipping into the Sierra as well. 

In the East, a fairly active pattern with near-seasonal temperatures is expected, with snow possible for New England and the Northern Mid-Atlantic. 

Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Wednesday (February 18).

Alan Smith