Cold and unstable weather persists in the western United States until next week

February 16, 2019

By Renee Duff, AccuWeather Meteorologist

February 16, 2019, 06:22:24 EST

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Below normal temperatures will accompany rain and snow events in the western United States until next week.

"The stormy trend accompanied by cold air will continue in the Pacific and Southwest states until mid-week and beyond," said Jack Boston, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather.

While California residents may breathe a sigh of relief that no wind, rain, and snow has re-emerged in the last week, cold, unstable weather can slow down cleanup and restoration efforts Energy.

A cold system will dive south along the Pacific coast until the end of the weekend.

On Sunday, 1 to 2 extra feet of snow could accumulate on the Sierra Nevada's highest terrain, including the Donner Pass, at the peak of the snow mountains that fell last week.

This will add even more pressure to mountain cities struggling to find places to pile snow and crews trying to clear the roads.

In this Thursday, February 14, 2019, photo provided by Caltrans District 10, a large platform missing chains slipped into a snow bank blocking State Route 88 in Amador County, near Tragedy Springs, in California. Skiers wanting to hurtle down the slopes had to miss a president's weekend holiday as snow and heavy rain fell for a fourth consecutive day on Friday, February 15, 2019 in the California Mountains, where the Snow was so deep in some areas, plows could not go out and the cities were exhausting it. (Caltrans via AP)

So much snow fell late last week that several Lake Tahoe roads were closed, forcing skiers to cancel their plans, according to the Associated Press.

Those who venture into Sierra Nevada at the beginning of the week will have to exercise the utmost caution, as the roads will remain dangerous and the danger of avalanche high.

Travelers to the Siskiyou Summit at Interstate 5 in Oregon will also be wary of snowy, slippery roads until Sunday.

In southern California, snow levels will drop between 1,500 and 2,000 feet by Sunday night, which may allow snow accumulation in the foothills and some valleys, according to Bob Smerbeck, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather.

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Low snow levels can create travel difficulties for people driving in the Grapevine and along parts of Highways 14 and 138, with reduced visibility and snowy, icy roads.

The winds blow and drift the snowfall.

Residents of Flagstaff and surrounding areas in Arizona will also face snow conditions this weekend, with the heaviest snowfall and the worst travel conditions on Sunday night.

Outside winter conditions, rain showers, perhaps accompanied by a few thunderclaps, will sweep the California coast and the central valley over the weekend.

In addition to frequent lightning, any thunderstorms that occur can produce small hail.

Cold air will set in behind the storm, with possible record lows from Redding to Sacramento, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, California, early this week.

"Temperatures will average 5-15 degrees Fahrenheit below normal until next week in most of the West," Boston said.

As the Pacific states dry out early in the week, the cold, as well as the threat of snow and slips, will spread to Denver and Albuquerque, New Mexico, from Monday to Tuesday.

The dry break for the west coast, however, will be short, as a new storm will extend south with rain and snow showers in the middle and at the end of the week.

This next storm will bring snowfall to the Sierra and Southern California mountains, and could cause significant snowfall in the Four Corners area.

Las Vegas has the potential to record its second snowfall of the season with this event.

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