Winter weather alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS) are in effect across several U.S. states as of early Saturday, with some regions forecast to receive up to two feet of snow.
The agency is cautioning residents about hazardous to nearly impossible travel in the hardest-hit areas, warning that road conditions could deteriorate quickly as snow intensifies.
Winter storm warnings—issued when a “significant combination of hazardous winter weather is occurring or imminent”—are currently in place for central Iowa, western Colorado, northwest Washington, and parts of Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming.
In Colorado’s Elkhead and Park Mountains, the NWS is calling for additional snowfall of 8 to 16 inches, with the highest peaks in the Park Range potentially seeing totals up to two feet.
Across Utah’s Central Mountains, the Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs, and the Western Uinta Mountains, one to two feet of snow is possible, according to the agency. Officials say winter driving conditions are expected on all mountain routes, with “significant impacts to conditions on Soldier Summit.”
These winter storm warnings are currently in effect until 5 a.m. MST Sunday.
In Montana, a winter storm warning for Lolo Pass and Highway 93 from Sula to Lost Trail Pass warns of heavy snow and notes that “major winter storm impacts” are possible.
Snowfall totals of 1 to 5 inches are expected in valley locations, with 8 to 15 inches possible over higher terrain, including Lolo and Lost Trail Passes, the NWS said.
“For MAJOR winter weather impacts, expect considerable disruptions to normal activities,” the warning stated. “Dangerous or impossible traveling conditions. Avoid travel in the impacted areas if possible. Widespread closures and disruptions to infrastructure may occur.”
Winter weather advisories—issued when wintry conditions are “expected to cause a significant inconvenience, but not serious enough to warrant a warning”—are also in effect for portions of South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.
The NWS forecast office in Chicago said in a post on X on Friday that “a clipper system is expected to move from the Plains and into the Great Lakes Saturday night into Sunday morning.”
“A swath of snow may lead to slippery road conditions especially during the overnight hours,” the post added.
For detailed local forecasts, the NWS urges residents to follow updates from regional offices via its website and social media channels, where conditions and alerts are updated frequently.
