Winter blast puts four states on alert as up to 14 inches of snow threaten travel: ‘Proceed with caution’
A winter blast is bringing up to 14 inches of snow to some parts of the US, threatening slick roads, disrupted commutes and dangerous conditions.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued the ‘first season’s Winter Weather Advisory’ for high-elevation areas in Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada and Utah. The alerts are in effect until Thursday.
The snow could disrupt travel for residents, commuters and visitors across the affected areas, while creating dangerous conditions for hikers and hunters.
Some areas could receive more than a foot of snow, with up to 14 inches of additional accumulation forecast in Utah’s western Uinta Mountains.
Wind gusts reaching 35mph could add to the hazardous conditions, with falling and blowing snow reducing visibility in parts of Wyoming.
Residents, commuters and visitors could face slick, icy and snow-covered roads across the affected areas.
Forecasters warned that the snow could disrupt Wednesday’s morning and evening commutes in parts of Colorado.
Hikers and hunters in Wyoming’s Snowy Range could face dangerous conditions, including the risk of becoming disoriented or lost. Officials urged drivers to slow down, check road conditions and prepare for winter weather before traveling.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued the ‘first season’s Winter Weather Advisory’ for high-elevation areas in Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada and Utah. The alerts are in effect until Thursday (stock)
The NWS urged travelers to proceed with caution, saying: ‘Slow down and use caution while traveling.
‘Early season snowfall on roadways may pose a significant risk to under-prepared travelers.’
The highest snowfall forecast is for Utah’s western Uinta Mountains, where an additional 8 to 14 inches could fall before 6am MDT Wednesday. Accumulating snow could make seasonal routes such as Bald Mountain Pass hazardous.
In Colorado, several advisories take effect late Tuesday night or Wednesday and continue into Thursday morning. Forecast totals range from 4 to 12 inches, depending on location and elevation.
Snow-covered, slushy and icy roads could disrupt Wednesday’s morning and evening commutes. Some areas could also experience wind gusts of up to 35mph.
Wyoming’s Snowy Range is expecting 5 to 10 inches of snow, mainly above 9,000 feet, from midnight Tuesday night through noon MDT Thursday.
Forecasters warned that travel along Highway 130 could become very difficult. Falling and blowing snow could reduce visibility, leaving unprepared hikers and hunters at risk of becoming disoriented or lost.
An advisory for Wyoming’s Wind River Mountains remains in effect until 6am MDT Wednesday, with 3 to 12 inches forecast above 9,000 feet.
Meteorologist Ryan Hall has said that millions from Oklahoma to the Carolinas may be stuck in a ‘winter storm battleground’ between December and February 2027
In Nevada, the Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range could receive an additional 5 to 10 inches before their advisory expires at 5pm PDT Tuesday.
Officials urged drivers to slow down, allow extra travel time and check road conditions before setting out.
The winter advisory comes ahead of what could be a harsh winter for millions of Americans.
A recent long-range forecast model from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) revealed a massive shift in the bands of heavy precipitation between December 2026 and February 2027.
That map shows a growing chance that the entire US East Coast will see above-average precipitation this winter, from southern Maine to the tip of Florida and stretching across the country into Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas as well.
On the West Coast, California is also expected to see above-average precipitation this winter, which likely means feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains and other high-altitude areas out west.
While more precipitation than usual does not always guarantee snow, several independent forecasters have predicted that at least 19 states should be bracing for a potential blockbuster storm season.
According to independent forecaster Direct Weather: ‘We do expect nor’easters to be a frequent event this year up the East Coast, and these do tend to be snow producing at least for somebody depending on where that low [pressure system] is located.’
Meteorologist Ryan Hall added that a stretch of the South, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, the Appalachians, the Carolinas and Virginia could be in the greatest danger this winter.
Hall said: ‘On my map, this is the winter storm battleground, and this is actually where my forecast has changed the most. I’m now a lot more confident than I was a few weeks ago that somebody in this corridor is going to get a big snowstorm or a big ice storm this winter.’
