Weather forecasters tracking two major storms

AccuWeather

Two storms are expected to hit the country in the next week, one bashing the West Coast this weekend and another bringing cold and snow back to the middle part oft the United States next week.

The midwest storm is predicted to just touch on this part of the country. The forecast for Blaine, Chouteau, Hill and Liberty counties calls for warm temperatures continuing today with highs in the 30s and 40s with rain and snow likely Saturday and highs dropping a bit.

The highs in this area are expected to drop into the teens and 20s Sunday into next week with lows in the single digits and teens.

But conditions are coming together in a way that could bring harsh winterlike conditions farther east to a large portion of the middle of the United States next week. 

The storm is likely to spread a swath of heavy snow over the Upper Midwest. A cold blast that follows the storm next week, regardless of its intensity, may lead to the most significant outbreak of lake-effect snow of the season so far.

The exact track of the storm will determine where the boundary between rain and snow falls, and the track of the storm will be greatly tied to its intensity.

A weak storm is more likely to take a more easterly track toward the Northeast states. An intense storm is more likely to track well to the west over the Great Lakes.

At this time, a moderate storm is most likely, but substantial snow can fall in a narrow swath.

"Enough snow to shovel and plow is forecast from part of South Dakota to central and southern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson.

The storm will move out of the southern Rockies this weekend then dip over the southern Plains before turning northeastward across the Mississippi Valley and then the eastern Great Lakes region early next week.

While the current projected path of the storm brings heavy snow to Minneapolis, a shift in the track of the storm could spread accumulating snow farther south toward Chicago or Detroit.

Even with heavy snow riding across the northern tier, a period of snow, a wintry mix or a rapid freeze-up can occur in Chicago and Detroit.

Regardless of the storm track and its intensity, multiple days of blustery and much colder conditions will follow during the middle to latter part of next week from the northern and central Plains to the Midwest and Northeast.

As the cold air arrives, temperatures are forecast to plummet by 30 degrees from one day to the next over the Central states from the Great Lakes to the southern Plains.

The Arctic air outbreak is likely to bring AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures in the lower teens, single digits and below zero over a broad area of the north central states during the daylight hours starting on Tuesday.

Nighttime lows well below zero are likely over parts of the northern Plain and the Upper Midwest during Tuesday night and Wednesday night.

At this level, there will be an increased risk of frostbite and hypothermia for those who spend time outdoors and are not properly dressed.

This painfully cold air with gusty winds will then spread into the Northeast during the second half of next week - and it will be a dramatic change following a mild start to the week.

As the frigid air blasts across the unfrozen and mild waters of the Great Lakes, bands of heavy lake-effect snow and snow squalls are likely to develop.

And this week a large storm is set to slam central and Northern California with a wide array of impacts from today into Saturday.

Although the center of the storm system will move ashore in Oregon later Saturday into Saturday night, the worst of the impacts will occur farther to the south.

Heavy rain and gusty winds will target coastal areas from San Francisco northward into southern Oregon spanning Friday into Saturday, as well as the Central Valley's I-5 corridor from Sacramento to Redding.

The foothills of the Sierra Nevada will also be hit hard with flooding downpours during this time.

A general 1-2 inches of rain is forecast in the lowest elevations of the I-5 corridor and San Francisco Bay area, while 2-4 inches is more likely in coastal areas of Northern California.

It is in the coastal ranges and foothills of the Sierra, however, that rainfall totals of 3-6 inches will occur. An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 8 inches is anticipated in these regions.

Because California is no longer suffering from drought and has actually been abnormally wet over the past one to two weeks, the heavy rainfall will significantly heighten the risk for flooding and mudslides, especially in burn-scar areas from this year's wildfires.

Significant travel delays and road closures are also likely, especially in areas where stream and river flooding occurs or where mudslides cover roadways or cause them to collapse.

"In addition to the extreme amounts of rain, falling snow levels will allow snow to accumulate across the higher terrain of the Sierra Nevada, which will act as a boon for local ski resorts," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.

Snow levels will likely fall below 5,000 feet in the Cascades and northern Rockies on Saturday and as low as 5,500 feet in the Sierra Nevada.

Spanning Friday to Saturday night, AccuWeather meteorologists expect at least 1-2 feet of snow to bury Donner Pass along I-80 in Northern California with 2-4 feet in the highest elevations.

An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 50 inches of snow is expected in the highest terrain of Northern California.

Motorists traveling through the Sierra Nevada should be aware of chain requirements and be prepared with an emergency survival kit in case their vehicle breaks down or stalls.

"While major snowfall accumulations farther north in the Washington and Oregon cascades are not expected from this storm system, any snow will be beneficial since these areas are suffering from abnormally dry conditions," Buckingham added.

In addition to the copious amounts of rain and snow slated for the end of the week and start of the weekend, gusty winds will buffet the northern half of California and southern part of Oregon.

Wind gusts of 40-50 mph will threaten to cause sporadic power outages and may help weaken loose topsoil inundated by too much water, further enhancing the risk of mudslides. Blizzard conditions may occur at times in the Sierra Nevada.

Drier conditions should gradually return from Sunday into Monday as the storm system pushes into the Rockies and Plains.

Looking ahead into next week, storm-weary residents of California should finally catch a break from the onslaught as the storm track shifts farther north into the Pacific Northwest.

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Havre Daily News staff contributed to this report.