Monday may have marked the first day of spring, but that isn’t stopping patches of the country from California to the Plains and the Southeast from seeing wet, cold weather.
- Winter storm advisories spread in the Plains and Midwest on Tuesday, with snow accumulations of up to 5 inches and slick roads expected.
- Mountain regions of the Golden State are expecting heavy snow of up to 5 feet on Tuesday, with winds gusting up to 65 mph.
- Freezing temperatures are forecast to spread across the South during the morning hour.
- Later this week, warmer temperatures are expected to hit the Mississippi Valley, on Wednesday and Thursday, reaching the Atlantic seaboard into Friday.
Here’s what you need to know for Tuesday.
Snow, freezing rain spreads across the Plains, Midwest
A winter weather advisory is in effect in Minnesota and the Dakotas Tuesday afternoon and continuing into Wednesday. Ice accumulations are expected, and snow could reach up to 5 inches.
Blowing snow could limit visibility for drivers and impact the evening commute, the National Weather Service warned. Travelers should expect slippery road conditions.
A winter weather advisory is also in effect in Nebraska until Tuesday afternoon, with freezing rain, snow and other mixed precipitation possible.
California could see 5 feet of snow
A winter storm warning is in effect Tuesday in the Sierra Nevada region, mainly at higher elevations above 4,000 feet. Heavy snow of up to 5 feet is possible, with winds gusting up to 60 mph.
Travel in the area could be “impossible,” according to the National Weather Service. Wind chills as low as 20 degrees below zero are expected, which can quickly result in hypothermia.
And further south, snow is expected in Santa Barbara County’s interior mountains. Up to 2 feet of snow is possible in areas above 6,000 feet, while 10 inches are possible in areas above 3,500 feet.
Winds will also gust up to 65 mph, with the snow and major winds potentially causing “significant travel delays,” in the area, according to the weather service. People who must travel should keep an extra flashlight, food and water in their vehicles
Freezing temperatures hit the South
A major swath of the Southeast from Virginia to Mississippi was blanketed by a freeze warning on Tuesday. Freezing temperatures are expected in the morning in:
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
Frost and freeze conditions can kill crops and damage outdoor plumbing, the weather service warned. Outdoor pipes “should be wrapped, drained or allowed to drip slowly” in the cold weather.