Millions of Americans, including residents of California, Idaho and Maine, were warned of the threat of winter weather this weekend with power outages in eastern states from Alabama to New York following outbreaks of deadly severe weather.
- Northern Californians already drenched in snow will get more on Saturday.
- The powerful winter storm that hit the Midwest this week will turn its sights to the Northeast.
- Another winter storm is headed for parts of the Midwest, but most of the Southern Midwest and Plains states can expect a fairly quiet weekend.
This comes in the days after severe weather spread across multiple states and swept across large swaths of the South and Midwest with tornadoes, high winds and flash floods, killing at least 10 people and injuring several others. Cleanup operations began in those areas while tens of thousands were also left without power, and strong winds and tornadoes damaged buildings, especially in Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, Arkansas and Texas.
Here's what you need to know about the weekend weather:
the West
A winter storm warning is in effect for a large swath of northern and central California on Saturday and Sunday, with storm-weary Southern California mostly spared from the weekend's storm.
The Sierra Nevada, including the Lake Tahoe area, is expected to be hardest hit, with snow accumulations of one to two feet expected at lower elevations and two to four feet above 7,000 feet. Wind speeds can reach 50 mph, with up to 100 mph along the top of the Sierra.
“If you come to the Sierra this weekend, you may not be able to leave for a while,” the National Weather Service warned. “If you get stuck in your car, the rescue could be significantly delayed.”
Some areas around Lake Tahoe have recorded more than 50 feet of snow this year since Oct. 1, according to Shawn Carter, a physicist at the National Water Center.
That same storm is expected to bring snow or rain to parts of eastern Oregon and Washington, with accumulations of between 5 and 12 inches in places like Tootle, Ariel and Lake Merwin, and 2 inches in places including Lower Columbia, Oregon.
California residents were hit by heavy snowfall
Some residents in the mountains east of Los Angeles may be stranded in their homes for at least another week, authorities said, as plows struggle against successive snowstorms.
like The San Bernardino Mountains were hit by waves of heavy snowfall starting late last week, and residents were stranded without power, with roofs collapsing and necessities like food and medicine running out. The National Guard has been deployed to 13 California counties to assist in the recovery, but crews are struggling to clear roads and provide aid.
“I feel like I'll never get out of here,” Marcia Woloshon, a resident of the Running Springs area of the San Bernardino Mountains, told USA TODAY on Friday.
Still digging out:After an epic California storm, snow is still falling on cities
Many are without power in Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee
Hundreds of thousands of homes remained without power in Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan on Saturday morning as a powerful winter storm reached across the country. Power outages also affected Alabama, West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and New York as the storm moved east.
In the Albany, New York, area, crews worked to restore power to nearly 20,000 customers after heavy, wet snow snapped tree branches.
US weather monitoring and warnings
Northeast of the country
A powerful storm that struck the Midwest hit the Northeast Friday night and is expected to continue causing heavy snow throughout Saturday.
The greatest impact will be in New England from upstate New York to the Canadian line and eastward through Boston, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
Parts of Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire could see between 8 and 12 inches of snow, while the southern half of Maine could see between 6 and 12 inches, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bob Larson said.
Larson said snow mixed with winds of up to 50 mph would likely cause flight delays.
Police said driving conditions were dangerous, with dozens of cars, trucks and trailers sliding off the roads.
Fortunately for the region, the storm is expected to move offshore on Sunday.
Winter storm map
Midwest and South
Quiet days lie ahead across much of the Midwest and South, with partly sunny skies and highs expected in the 30s and upper 40s in places like Detroit and Chicago.
In the upper Midwest, residents emerged Saturday from a snowfall that caused widespread power outages and forced Detroit's Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to close briefly late Friday. Passengers were advised to check with airlines to find out about flight delays on Saturday.
In the South, temperatures will be in the 60s and 70s in places like Wichita, Kansas, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Dallas.
To the north, the storm will move into the Dakotas on Saturday, spreading to Minnesota and far northern Wisconsin on Sunday, with accumulations of between 3 and 6 inches.
National weather radar
Contributing: Chris Kenning and Mike Snyder, USA TODAY; Associated Press
