Another powerful storm system is expected to sweep across a wide swath of the United States, bringing heavy rain to Southern California, heavy snow to parts of the West and Midwest, and more snow and freezing rain to the Northeast and New England.
The latest storm comes on the heels of successive systems that brought snow and ice to any of the same areas, some of which will see rain on top of melting snow — and the potential for flooding.
According to the National Weather Service, the system will move onshore over the West Coast on Thursday, then east to the Plains and Midwest on Friday and Saturday and the Northeast later Saturday into Sunday.
Heavy rain triggers evacuations in Southern California
An atmospheric river could produce excessive rainfall in parts of Southern California, including areas still recovering from the recent wildfires. Up to 3 inches of rain could fall in the Los Angeles area through Friday.
“The risk of flash flooding will be highest in and near recent burn scar areas,” the weather service warned. “The flooding may include debris flows. Those around recently burned areas should listen carefully to instructions from local officials. Flash flooding in burn scars will be life-threatening.”
Also read:How incoming rain creates new dangers for recently burned areas of L.A.
Evacuation warnings or orders were in effect for portions of San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Orange and Los Angeles counties on Thursday, CNN reported.
Heavy snow expected in the Sierra Nevadas
Significant mountain snowfall will also develop as the storm spreads into much of the western U.S. on Thursday and Friday.
The heaviest snow will develop in the Sierra Nevadas, with 72 to 100 inches of snow possible in some areas, the weather service said. Such snowfall is likely to make many mountain roads impassable.
Meanwhile, heavy rain, flash flooding and severe thunderstorms were expected Thursday from southern Louisiana into western Georgia.
Storm damage seen in the South and mid-Atlantic
The coast-to-coast system comes on the heels of a storm that unleashed severe weather across parts of the South, Midwest and mid-Atlantic on Wednesday:
• In Virginia, more than a foot of snow and ice fell, leaving nearly 200,000 customers without power, according to PowerOutage.Us.• In Maryland, state police reported more than 200 vehicle crashes on icy roadways.• In Missouri, a regional jet slid off the taxiway before coming to a stop at St. Louis Lambert International Airport.• In Alabama and Mississippi, there were four reported tornadoes, including a possible tornado that damaged about two dozen homes and businesses in Columbia, Miss., per CNN.
Another arctic blast for the Plains
In addition to the storm, an arctic blast that sent temperatures in the northern Rockies and northern Plains plunging 25 to 35 degrees below average is expected to move over the Upper Mississippi Valley and Central and Southern Plains by Saturday.
However, temperatures associated with the arctic air will “start to moderate” over the next few days, the weather service said, with forecast highs and lows between 15 and 25 degrees below average.
