Heavy snow has already been falling at Tahoe and portions of the Rockies so far this week, and more is on the way from Wednesday to Friday. Two more storms will bring additional heavy snow to these areas, and colder temperatures and lighter winds will also lead to low-density powder and better skiing conditions. 

Snowfall will be lighter further north across the Cascades and Northern Rockies, but these areas will still see nice re-freshes.

Over the weekend, heavy snow will develop across far west areas, including Vancouver Island, the Olympic Peninsula, and Northern California around Mt. Shasta. 

Forecast for Wednesday (Feb 18):

The Sierra Nevada Range and Tahoe will wake up to deep snow totals on Wednesday morning, then snowfall rates will become relatively lighter during the day and into the evening.

Further east, heavy snow will become focused across the Central and Southern Rockies, including Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming.

Across the Northwest and Northern Rockies, snowfall will be lighter compared to further south, but the Oregon Cascades and Central/Northern Idaho could still see some sneaky good totals.

A strong storm will move across the Upper Midwest with heavy snow developing across Northern Minnesota and the UP of Michigan, while on the southern fringe of these deep snow projections, freezing rain and rain could be a factor, with sharp boundaries in precipitation type. 

A narrow corridor of mixed precipitation will also reach the Northeast, with the best chance of accumulating snowfall over Central New York into Massachusetts. 

Forecast for Thursday (Feb 19):

Snow will begin to taper off over the Rockies in between storms, while the next storm will make landfall on the West Coast with heavy snow picking back up over the Sierra Nevada, with lighter snow further north in the Pacific Northwest. In between, Central to Southern Oregon will also see moderate snowfall. 

Snow will also linger across the Upper Midwest, favoring Northeast Minnesota and the UP of Michigan.

Forecast for Friday (Feb 20):

Snow will taper off across the Sierra early on Friday morning as the next storm moves into the Rockies, with heavy snow favoring the San Juan Range in Colorado, with light to moderate snowfall elsewhere in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.

This snowfall map indicates some light snow across the Northwest and Northern Rockies, but recent model trends since this map last initiated are backing off snow chances further north.

Another storm will move across the Upper Midwest and into the Northeast with moderate snow possible in many areas, but mixed precipitation could also be a factor across parts of this region as a warm nose pushes in from the south, especially in Michigan and into Western New York. 

Forecast for Saturday (Feb 21):

The Rockies will see a break in the pattern with lingering cold temperatures, while a new storm will develop and stall offshore from the West Coast.

Moisture at the leading edge of this storm will favor locally heavy snow across Vancouver Island, the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, and Northern California, including the Mt. Shasta area, while lighter snowfall is expected over the Cascades.

A storm will continue to impact the Northeast with light to moderate snow expected across New England, Upstate New York, and Quebec.

Forecast for Sunday (Feb 22):

In the West, a storm will continue to spin offshore from the West Coast. Snow will continue to favor Vancouver Island, the Olympic Peninsula, and the Mt. Shasta area in Northern California. Light to moderate snow can also be expected over the Cascades, and a little bit of snow could reach Tahoe as well.

In the East, a coastal storm is possible with the current snowfall projections favoring the Mid-Atlantic, but we are far enough out that the storm track and details of this storm are very much in question and subject to change.

Outlook for Mon (Feb 23) to Fri (Feb 27):

An active pattern is expected to return to the West with storms possible across the Northwest, Sierra, and the Rockies. Temperatures are expected to be warmer compared to this week, with slight below-average anomalies lingering near the West Coast and Northwest, while the Rockies will see above-average anomalies return. 

In the East, a colder pattern is expected overall with near to below-average temperatures, and the Northeast also has a chance to see some more snow. 

Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Friday (February 20).

Alan Smith