Winter weather warnings have been issued for parts of two US states, with meteorologists predicting that a series of storm systems will bring “very strong” winds and heavy rain to Alaska, and a climatologist spotted a snow tornado in the state on New Year's Eve.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued warnings for southwestern coastal areas of Alaska as well as northwestern Montana, warning of difficult travel conditions, low visibility and the possibility of black ice.
In its latest forecast, the Meteorological Service said that snowfall and snow drifts may form along the mountainous areas of Alaska, with the possibility of a snowstorm along parts of the state's west coast until Thursday.
The National Weather Service expects wind speeds to exceed 60 mph along the Arctic coast through Thursday, with wind temperatures dropping to minus 50 degrees. Conditions are expected to improve by the end of next week.
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Meanwhile, warnings have been issued for the Alaska Peninsula, St. Lawrence Island and the Kuskokwim Delta coast, where up to 8 inches of snow could accumulate in some places. The authority warned that wind gusts could reach speeds of up to 55 miles per hour, and snowfall could reduce visibility to half a mile or less at times.
An advisory has also been issued for the Yukon Delta coast, where winds are expected to reach 60 mph, low visibility and only an inch of snow accumulating.
On Sunday, Brian Brettschneider, a climate scientist in Anchorage, Alaska, posted a video Screenshots Wind patterns on a mountain range adjacent to the city blow settled snow in circular flows, which were given the name “snownados.”
“Never underestimate the topography of Flattop Mountain's eastern ridge line,” he wrote.
A warning is also in place for parts of Montana including Bad Rock Canyon, north of Missoula, where up to 2 inches of snow, freezing drizzle and a light icing layer are expected overnight.
“Surface temperatures will drop to freezing or below through Sunday evening, which could allow black ice to form on roads,” the National Weather Service said.
The weather forecast for the rest of the country is expected to be “generally calm and mild”, meaning minimal weather-related travel disruptions for many on New Year's Day, the Met Office said.
A “light wintry mix” is expected to persist in the lower Great Lakes region and parts of the Appalachian Mountains due to the Alberta Clipper system – a cold front that tends to move southeast of the continental United States from the Canadian province.
However, the National Weather Service said widespread rain and thunderstorms were expected over Texas on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the West Coast will face more unstable weather, with heavy rain expected along the northern California coast.
Western states, including Alaska, have faced several bouts of snowfall so far this winter, after being hit by a “heavy series” of weather storms from the Pacific Ocean. Last winter, the West Coast saw the effects of a similar weather front, with California experiencing several rounds of flooding.
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