ROANOKE, Va. – The official end to winter is less than a week away now, but it’s like we’ve hardly had any winter at all. Despite a weekend cool-down, any chance for snow through Sunday morning will be well north of I-64.
Snow lovers strike out once again, unless you want to go to the Sierra Nevada through next week. It’s not uncommon to see big snows, especially with peaks that reach higher than 10,000 feet above sea level in spots.
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A closed area of low pressure will move very slowly toward the West Coast, directing a lot of moisture up the tall mountains of California, Oregon and Washington. This kind of lift in the atmosphere is conducive to a big and prolonged snow in those higher elevations.
The Sierra Nevada and Cascades won’t be the only ones to see a winter wonderland. Energy ejecting from this storm system will ride into some very cold air, allowing more snow to develop in parts of the Rockies and parts of the Northern Plains.
Meanwhile, the eastern half of the U.S. will remain south of the jet stream. This puts us in a favorable position for warmer air (highs in the 60s later next week).
Energy that rides along the jet stream into the warmer air, however, could give us a few opportunities for some rain.