Winter Weather Warning for 9 States Amid Lake Effect Snow

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued winter weather advisories for nine states, including lake effect snow warnings, as a powerful winter storm system sweeps across the northern United States

Lake effect snow is a weather phenomenon that occurs when cold, dry air flows over a large, warmer body of water such as the Great Lakes. This difference in temperature causes the air to absorb moisture from the lake surface. As the air moves over the land, it cools and the moisture condenses to form snow.

Residents of the affected states of Oregon, New York, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Vermont, Michigan and Minnesota are urged to prepare for hazardous travel conditions, local power outages, downed trees and significant snowfall accumulations.

new York

A weather advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. EST Sunday. Lake effect snow is expected in southern Oneida County with additional accumulations of 3 to 7 inches. The highest amounts of snow are expected to occur north of Interstate 90. Lake effect snow will transition to widespread light to moderate snow late Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning as a low pressure system approaches the area.

Additional snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are expected in northern Cayuga County, primarily near the shores of Lake Ontario. The highest snowfall amounts are expected in Herkimer County, south of Route 28 and north of Interstate 90.

Oregon

Snow is expected above 3,000 feet, with total snow accumulations of 6 to 10 inches and wind gusts up to 40 mph in the North Oregon Cascades. A weather advisory is in effect from 4:00 p.m. Saturday to 4:00 p.m. PST Sunday.

Snow levels will begin at over 9,000 feet Saturday morning, then drop to about 5,000 feet Saturday afternoon and then drop to 3,000 feet Saturday evening where it will continue through Sunday night. The heaviest snowfall is expected to occur late Saturday night into Sunday morning.

Total snow accumulations of 5 to 10 inches and wind gusts up to 40 mph are expected in the northern Blue Mountains.

Washington

Snow is expected at elevations greater than 3,000 feet or above, with total snow accumulations between 6 and 10 inches and wind gusts up to 45 mph on the West Slopes, South Central Cascades and Passes.

The weather advisory runs from 4:00 p.m. Saturday to 4:00 p.m. PST Sunday.

Idaho

A winter weather advisory remains in effect Saturday from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. PST.

Above 3,500 feet, ice accumulations totaling about a tenth of an inch and snow accumulations up to 6 inches are expected. Local ice accumulations of a quarter inch are possible, particularly in Pend Oreille County.

Snow and freezing rain are expected in the Lower Treasure Valley Zones and northern Malheur County, including Highways 20 and 26.

Alaska

A weather advisory is in effect for the Yukon Delta Coast, the Lower Yukon River, and the Lower Yukon and Innoko Valleys from 9 a.m. Sunday to 9 a.m. Tuesday AKST.

Mixed precipitation is expected, with snow accumulations totaling 2 to 5 inches and ice accumulations with a light glaze. Up to 8 inches of snow is possible in higher terrain and winds up to 40 miles per hour.

Michigan

Total snow accumulations between 4 and 7 inches are expected in Chippewa and Mackinac counties. A weather advisory is in effect from 5 a.m. until 5 p.m. EST Saturday afternoon.

The heaviest snow accumulations are expected north of Houghton. An advisory is in effect until 1:00 p.m. EST Saturday afternoon.

Montana

A winter weather advisory is in effect from noon Sunday through 8 a.m. MST Monday, affecting several counties.

Total snow accumulations will be between 1 and 4 inches, with 4 to 8 inches expected on northern slopes, with 6 inches possible over Chief Joseph and Big Hole Pass.

Up to 3 to 7 inches is possible over Marias Pass, with even higher levels in the mountains of Glacier National Park. Winds of 40 to 50 mph and gusts of up to 85 mph are expected along the Continental Divide along the Rocky Mountain Front. The advisories are in effect from 11 a.m. this morning until 5 p.m. MST on Sunday.

Minnesota

Snow and freezing drizzle are expected, with additional snow accumulations of up to an inch and ice accumulations around a light glaze in central St. Louis County. This includes the Bois Forte Band tribal lands, Lake Vermilion area. The advisories are in effect until noon CST Saturday.

NWS advises that a lower snow-to-liquid ratio of about 7 to 10 inches of snowfall per 1 inch of liquid water equivalent is predicted for a snow event Sunday afternoon into Monday morning. These lower snowfall levels could result in a wetter and heavier snow load than recent, lighter and looser snow events.

Total wet snow accumulations between 4 and 9 inches are possible. Local wet snow accumulations of up to 12 inches are possible in eastern Cook County.

Vermont

Total snow accumulations between 3 and 7 inches are expected in St. Lawrence and southern Franklin Counties. A warning is in effect from 3:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon until 1:00 p.m. EST Sunday.

For further details and advice, all affected states are encouraged to check NWS for current and additional updates as the storm continues to spread.