Millions of Americans, including those in California, Idaho and Maine, have been warned of winter weather danger this weekend as power outages plague states in the East from Alabama to New York after a deadly outbreak of severe weather.
- Northern California residents already socked by snow will get more on Saturday.
- A powerful winter storm that pummeled the Midwest this week will set its sights on the Northeast.
- Another winter storm is headed for parts of the Midwest, but much of the southern Midwest and Plains states can expect a fairly tranquil weekend.
This comes in the days after a multistate severe weather outbreak slammed wide swaths of the South and Midwest with tornadoes, fierce winds and flash floods, killing at least 10 people and injuring several others. Tens of thousands were also left without power, and heavy winds and tornadoes damaged buildings, especially in Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, Arkansas and Texas.
Here’s what you need to know about this weekend’s weather:
The West
A winter storm warning is in effect for a large swath of northern and central California on Saturday and Sunday as storm-weary Southern California is mostly spared by the weekend storm.
The Sierra Nevada, including the Lake Tahoe region, is expected to be hardest hit, with 1 to 2 feet of snow accumulations expected at lower elevations and 2 to 4 feet above 7,000 feet. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph, with up to 100 mph along the Sierra crest.
“If you come to the Sierra this weekend, you may not be able to leave for a while,” the National Weather Service warned. “If you become stuck in your vehicle, rescue may be significantly delayed.”
Some areas around Lake Tahoe have recorded over 50 feet of snow this year since the first of October, according to Shawn Carter, a physical scientist at the National Water Center.
That same storm is expected to bring snow or rain to parts of eastern Oregon and Washington, with accumulations between 5 and 12 inches in places like Toutle, Ariel and Lake Merwin, and more like 2 inches in places including Lower Columbia, Oregon.
California residents snowed in after heavy snowfall
Authorities said some residents in the mountains east of Los Angeles may be stranded in their homes for at least another week as plows struggle against back-to-back snowstorms.
As the San Bernardino Mountains were slammed with waves of heavy snowfall starting late last week, residents have been left stranded without power, with collapsed roofs and running out of necessities like food and medicine. The National Guard was deployed to 13 California counties to aid recovery, but crews are struggling to clear roads and bring aid.
“I feel like I’m never going to get out of here,” Marcia Woloshun, a resident of Running Springs in the San Bernardino Mountains, told USA TODAY on Friday.
STILL DIGGING OUT:After epic California storm, towns remain snowed in
US weather watches and warnings
The Northeast
A powerful storm that tore through the Midwest hit the Northeast overnight Friday and is forecast to continue causing heavy snow all day Saturday.
The biggest impact will be in New England from upstate New York to the Canadian line and east through Boston, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
Parts of Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire may see between 8-12 inches of snow, while the southern half of Maine could see between 6 and 12 inches, said Bob Larson, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather.
The snow mixed with winds gusting up to 50 mph is likely to cause flight delays, Larson said.
Luckily for the region, the storm is expected to move offshore on Sunday.
Winter storm map
The Midwest and South
Hundreds of thousands of residents across the Midwest and South were still without power Saturday morning after fierce storms this week.
But tranquil days are ahead for much of the Midwest and South, with partly sunny skies and highs expected in the upper 30s and 40s in places like Detroit and Chicago.
Farther south, temperatures will be in the 60s and 70s in places like Wichita, Kansas, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Dallas.
Farther north, a storm will roll in to the Dakotas on Saturday, spreading to Minnesota and far northern Wisconsin on Sunday, with accumulations between 3 and 6 inches.
National weather radar
Contributing: Chris Kenning, USA TODAY; The Associated Press