Weather Saturday March 2 2024 Donners pass Heavy Snows , east coast rains

Winter storm brings heavy mountain snow, widespread damaging winds, and
cold temperatures to much of the West

Blizzard conditions expected for the Sierra Nevada and portions of the
Great Basin on Saturday.

A coastal storm will bring widespread rain up the East Coast through
Saturday, with thunderstorms across portions of the Southeast through
tonight

Much above average, Spring-like temperatures for the Plains and Midwest
once again heading into the weekend with Critical Fire Weather threat for
the central/southern High Plains.

Another significant winter storm is forecast to impact much of the West
heading into the weekend, including dangerous, blizzard conditions for the
Sierra Nevada as an amplifying upper-level trough forces its way into the
western U.S.  A multi-day influx of moisture from the Pacific is forecast
to interact with a cold air mass arriving from western Canada, resulting
in heavy snowfall for many of the higher elevation mountain ranges across
the Pacific Northwest, northern/central California, the northern/central
Rockies, and Great Basin. Snow totals locally as much as 12"+ are forecast
through Sunday. In addition, widespread damaging wind gusts of 55+ mph are
forecast across much of the region, with even stronger gusts of 75+ mph
for higher elevations and mountain passes, leading to the risk of downed
trees and power lines as a potent cold front pushes through. The most
intense combination of snow and wind will converge over the Sierra Nevada,
where a powerful blizzard is expected. Extreme snowfall totals of 5-12
feet (locally even higher) are forecast through the weekend, with high
snow rates and winds leading to blowing/drifting snow and whiteout
conditions, making travel impossible. For lower elevations, the system
will bring moderate to heavy rainfall to coastal locations, with a mix of
light to moderate rain/snow for interior locations, though any
accumulations should remain limited.
Along the East Coast, widespread rainfall and some embedded thunderstorms
associated with a wavy front are spreading northeastward from the central
Gulf Coast across the Southeast, southern Appalachians and into the Ohio
Valley.  A low pressure system is forecast to develop along the front and
move up the East Coast on Saturday.  This system is forecast to bring a
round of widespread rainfall up the East Coast through Saturday before the
low center exits the New England coast Sunday morning.  Some locally heavy
downpours are possible, especially north of the boundary in the interior
South and along the Carolina coast.  Showers and storms will also linger
across portions of the coastal Southeast into north Florida and the
Florida Panhandle into Sunday as the trailing portion of the front becomes
nearly stationary.
Much above average, Spring-like high temperatures are once again expected
across much of the Plains and Midwest heading into the Weekend. The
greatest anomalies are forecast for the northern Plains into the upper
Midwest on Saturday pushing into the upper Midwest toward the Great Lakes
on Sunday.  Highs will be upwards of 25-35 degrees above normal, reaching
into the 60s and 70s in these areas.  Highs Saturday will warm into the
60s and 70s for the Middle/Lower Mississippi Valley, with 80s returning to
Texas. The combination of warm temperatures, persistently dry conditions,
and gusty winds over the central/southern High Plains will elevate the
risk for wildfires through this weekend.  After a chilly day Friday in the
Southeast, temperatures will quickly rebound to average or slightly above
average levels on Saturday, with highs in the 60s and low 70s.