After periods of heavy snowfall in the Northwest over the past week to 10 days, another series of storms will slam the region this week. Truckers should be ready to chain up and expect possible roadblocks.
Most of the snow will fall from Monday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon in the Cascades and northern Rockies. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued various winter weather alerts for parts of northern Washington state, where 12 to 24 inches of snowfall could pile up in the high elevations. Some lower elevations may see 5 to 10 inches.
Snowfall rates could reach 1 to 2 inches per hour, leading to reduced visibility at times. Trouble spots include, but are not limited to, Sherman, Loup Loup, Stevens (U.S. Highway 2) and Snoqualmie passes (Interstate 90).
Snowfall may also disrupt drivers Tuesday from eastern Oregon to western Idaho, including portions of I-84 and U.S. Highway 95.
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall Monday through Wednesday could flood areas in western portions of Washington, Oregon and far northern California. This includes I-5 and U.S. Highway 101.
Look for rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches in the mountains and high terrain areas, with 1 to 3 inches in the valleys and lowlands. The NWS has issued a flood watch for these areas, including Seattle and Portland.
Other disruptive weather
Snow or a snow-rain mix will continue across parts of the South through Monday morning, fading during the afternoon. This storm dumped snowfall in Texas over the weekend, with a daily record 4.4 inches in Waco. The storm is now impacting the Tennessee and lower Mississippi valleys. Delays are likely on I-20 and I-55 from Shreveport, Louisiana, to Jackson, Mississippi, and northwestern Alabama.
High winds Tuesday through Thursday will increase the risk of rollovers across most of Montana, from the Rocky Mountain front eastward. Gusts could reach 50 to 80 mph in places like Cut Bank, Helena, Great Falls, Billings, Glasgow, Miles City, Glendive and Livingston.