- Low pressure will persist across the west into midweek.
- Heavy snow is expected to fall in many western highlands.
- Gusty winds in parts of the region will add to dangerous travel when combined with snow.
Winter is not over yet. The upcoming winter storm will serve as a reminder of the season as heavy snow falls over a large swath of the west through midweek.
The Weather Channel has named this next system Winter Storm Kayden because of the winter storm warnings covering more than 400,000 square kilometers of the western United States, as shown in the map below.
(More: How are winter storms named?)
Winter alerts
(Issued by the National Meteorological Authority)
Kayden time: Heavy snow will continue to fall from Cayden in the Sierra through Tuesday night.
Snow will increase across the Inland West on Wednesday and continue into Thursday. Winds are expected to be active until Wednesday in the southwest. Strong winds combined with heavy snow will create dangerous travel conditions.
By late Wednesday, snow will spread across eastern Montana and parts of the Dakotas.
The snow from Caiden will end Thursday night in the northern Plains.
(For a more accurate track of weather data in your area, view your 15-minute forecast details on our website Premium Pro experience.)
How much snow is expected? Snowfall totals of more than a foot will be found in the higher elevations of southern Utah, Arizona and southern Colorado.
Moderate snow is expected over a wide area from Nevada to Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
Heavy snow has already fallen in California, with more than 30 inches reported at Mammoth Mountain.
Snow and rain forecast
(Higher amounts locally are possible.)
Linda Lam is Weather.com's lead meteorologist. Growing up in Massachusetts, she developed a passion for winter storms and tornadoes that led her to pursue a career in meteorology.
The Weather Company's primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment, and the importance of science in our lives.
