Northwest, Golden State Brace For More Soggy, Wintry Weather | WeatherBug
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Northwest, Golden State Brace For More Soggy, Wintry Weather

January 9, 2020
UPDATED By WeatherBug Meteorologists, Brandon Bush
The West Coast is stuck in a rut, with more rain and mountain snow hanging around through early next week.

The catalyst for the active weather is an active jet stream which will usher several more rounds of Pacific storms inland. The next storm will arrive today packing a repeat performance like previous days – more soaking valley and coastal rain, and higher elevation mountain snow. This scenario will be repeated on Friday and later this weekend, too.

The first wave will blanket the Washington and Oregon Cascades in 1 to 2 feet of snow, with the outside chance up to 3 feet would fall in the highest peaks by early Friday. Similar totals could pile up for Idaho and Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front Range. Even cities like South Lake Tahoe and Truckee, Calif., will receive 1 to 3 inches of snow today, with 2 to 5 inches falling at Donner Pass and Mt. Rose near Interstate 80 in northern California.

Winter Weather Advisories are scattered across the northern Oregon Cascades, northern California, northwestern Montana and western Wyoming. Winter Storm Watches also cover Washington and Oregon's Cascades, eastern Washington in Spokane and Republic, the Interstate 84 corridor and eastward into Wallowa-Whitman National Forest in northeast Oregon. The Idaho Panhandle and Boise Mountains will also need to be wary of potential storms.

Heavy snow will continue to bury the mountains from Washington, Oregon and northern California east into western Montana, western Wyoming and western Colorado. A few more feet of snow will easily pile up in the highest peaks of the Cascades and Rockies, while several more inches of snow will occur near pass levels and lower elevations.

Beyond the snow headaches provided by the storm, the avalanche danger is increasing thanks to the duo of heavy snow and furious winds across the Idaho Panhandle and western Montana. Travel on and below steep slopes should be avoided, especially with an unstable snowpack. An Avalanche Warning remains in effect here through Friday morning. 

Meanwhile, the storm’s warm sector will squeeze out rainfall totals of 1 to 2 inches across southwestern Oregon and northwestern California’s coasts. The active weather patten in the Pacific Northwest has created very saturated soils and elevated river levels, and any additional rain during the next few days will only exacerbate flooding concerns.

If you must travel through the mountains over the next several days, check the chain rules ahead of time. It is also good to keep a snow emergency kit in your vehicle. This should consist of blankets, water, non-perishable food, jumper cables, mittens, a flashlight, and an extra cell phone charger.