Storm track favors West Coast to start New Year

US and Canada Daily Snow

Heads up, there may be fresher snow! Read the latest US and Canada Daily Snow

By Alan Smith, Meteorologist Posted 3 years ago January 1, 2021

Summary

Happy New Year! The Pacific Northwest and Western Canada will continue to pick up deep snow totals heading into the New Year. Tahoe is expected to see a good storm on Monday as are the Northern Rockies. The pattern will continue to favor the West through late next week, while the Northeast will see varying degrees of snow chances from Friday 1/1 through Tuesday 1/5.

Short Term Forecast

Pacific Northwest in the flow heading into 2021

The first in a series of West Coast storms brought heavy snow to the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Some of the deepest totals (as of Thursday morning) were reported at Cypress Mountain (BC), Grouse Mountain (BC), Mt. Baker (WA), Stevens Pass (WA), Mt. Spokane (WA), and Mt. Hood Meadows (OR). Check out this shot from Mt. Hood Meadows taken during the storm on Wednesday.

Forecast for Fri, Jan 1 – Sat, Jan 2

Back-to-back storms will bring heavy snow to British Columbia and Washington on Friday and Saturday with light to moderate snow extending into Oregon and Idaho. The East will also see a storm on Friday and Saturday with snow transitioning to a wintry mix of sleet, freezing rain, and snow for much of the Northeast while areas north of the border in Quebec will stay all snow. Portions of Northern New England may stay all-snow (or mostly snow) as well, but it will be a close call.

Forecast for Sun, Jan 3 – Mon, Jan 4

Heavy snow will continue across the Pacific Northwest on Sunday and will also spread east into the Northern Rockies of Idaho, Montana, and Alberta as well. Another storm will quickly follow on Monday with the heaviest snow favoring the Sierras and Tahoe with lighter snow farther north.

In the East, a storm moving up the coast could bring snow to portions of New England on Sunday and Monday, but uncertainty exists as to how close the storm track will be to the coast, which will influence where/how much snow falls.

Forecast for Tue, Jan 5 – Wed, Jan 6

A storm moving across the Western states will bring snow to the Northern and Central Rockies on Tuesday, followed by another storm that will bring more snow to British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday night and Wednesday. Light snow will also be possible across parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic on Tuesday as a weak system arrives.

Extended Forecast

Outlook for Thu, Jan 7 – Mon, Jan 11

Another 1-2 storms are likely across the West during this period before high pressure attempts to build around the 11th. The East could also start to see better snow chances return toward the end of this period as long-range models project a more active southern jet stream developing, which could eventually lead to storm systems tracking up the East Coast or Appalachians.