As a blocking high-pressure ridge over the west coast forces moisture north and south, cold air will slip into the Rockies this weekend. Moisture will focus on the eastern Rockies but will still provide light snowfall west of the Divide. A pattern change towards the end of January could bring some decent snow totals back to the west. You could score double digits this weekend near the Front Range

The January snowpack update shows an above-normal snowpack for higher elevations but below-normal for lower elevations. This is due to storms this winter bringing warmer air and raising snow levels. The dry stretch of weather for the next week and potentially more will move most of Oregon into a below-normal snowpack.

An arctic cold front will move from north to south into the Western U.S. on Friday and Saturday before spreading into the Eastern U.S. early next week, resulting in some of the coldest air of the season so far in many areas. Storms will continue to favor the East from late this week through early next week, while the Rockies will see a shot of snow Thursday-Saturday as the front arrives.

Thanks for reading this summer! For the rest of this week, a cold front moving across the Central Rockies will bring showers & t-storms to WY, CO, & NM Wed-Thu while the West Coast states will see a late-season heat wave. Next week, isolated to scattered showers & t-storms develop across the West with continued mild temps. Heading into mid-month, the PNW will trend wetter and cooler.