The Nation's Weather 12.21.08

By WEATHER UNDERGROUND – 3 hours ago

A major Pacific storm slammed into the West Coast on Sunday, producing heavy rain and high elevation snow throughout the Northwest. Various storm warnings, including Blizzard Warnings in the Cascades, were in effect due to the intensity of the storm. By Monday morning, many higher elevation areas in the Northwest were to have received upward of 3 feet of new snow. The storm's main cold front was to progress southward through California and eastward into the Intermountain West and Great Basin. Rain was forecast for the northern half of California. Winter Storm Warnings were in effect for the western slopes of the Sierra Nevadas as lowering snow levels were to provide upwards of 2 feet of new snow. Strong wind gusts was also to produce blizzard conditions in areas of the mountain range.

Significant snow was also to move through the Intermountain West, where similar winter weather advisories were posted.

Elsewhere, a developing storm was moving northeastward along the eastern seaboard. Another shot of wintry weather was anticipated for New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Winter Storm Warnings were likewise posted for that region. Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour were expected and many areas were to receive upwards of a foot of new snow.

Cold flow over the Great Lakes was to produce lake effect snow in Michigan, while snow in Wisconsin was to gradually wane.

Temperatures were to be in the 20s and 30s in the Northeast; 60s in the Southeast Coast; single digits and 10s in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest; 50s and 60s in the Southwest; and 20s and 30s in the Northwest.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states Saturday ranged from minus 31 degrees at Polbridge, Mont. to 87 degrees at McAllen, Texas.