U.S Winter Storm Forecast Latest Update: Snow leap to 18 inches

Heavy snowfall blankets cars at June Lake, in Mono County, Calif., on Wednesday. The same storm that brought snow and heavy rain to the state is moving through the Midwest, with 5 to 9 inches of snowfall predicted in some regions by Sunday. - Randy Walker/AP

The National Weather Service predict the winter storm will move across the Central High Plains and to the northeastern United States by Monday, bringing with it feet of snow and heavy rain extending from the Mississippi Valley to the Great Lakes along the way.

The winter storm system that blanketed California's mountaintops and brought heavy rains that caused mudslides throughout the state is moving into the Midwest, triggering advisories for nearly 100 million in the central U.S.

As of Saturday afternoon, the weather service had issued advisories and warnings for large swaths of the region, which include Chicago, where 5 to 9 inches of snowfall is expected by Sunday evening. The weather service also predicted the area would see other wintry conditions.

"In addition to the heavy snow this evening, gusty southeast to east winds will also produce high waves that could result in minor lakeshore flooding this weekend, mainly along the Illinois lakeshore," the NWS Chicago office tweeted on Saturday.

By Monday, much of the snowfall is predicted to taper off as the conditions move into the Mid-Atlantic region, forecasters say, possibly bringing similar snowfall totals to major East Coast cities including Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Boston.

The National Weather Service says ahead of the snowfall, West Virginia, North Carolina and Virginia could all expect freezing rain by Sunday.

It says that before moving on from California, the storm had produced more than 6 feet of snow in parts of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The storm had also produced wind gusts of 60 mph or more in several parts of the state. Gusts of 120 mph were reported in Lake Tahoe.

The storm also brought heavy rains to areas made vulnerable to mudslides by wildfires.

The Weather Channel notes that a section of Highway 1 — or the Pacific Coast Highway — near Big Sur collapsed during the rainfall.

The winter storm is also the second major snowfall to hit parts of the Midwest this week. Earlier this week, The Associated Press reported a storm system had dropped between 12 and 15 inches of snow in parts of Nebraska and Iowa.

New Jersey are now bracing for even more snow than originally projected

Northern and central parts of New Jersey are now bracing for even more snow than originally projected as a major, prolonged nor’easter winter storm is expected to slam the state Sunday into Tuesday, possibly dropping up to 18 inches in some areas, according to updated forecasts, NJ report. According to the National Weather Service, Early projections of 6 to 8 inches of snow have upped to 8 to 12 inches in Sussex and Warren counties.

Snowfall projections for Bergen, Essex and Passaic counties were between 8 and 10 inches as of Saturday morning. They also were boosted to 12 to 18 inches in a forecast map (posted below) that was updated at 4:30 p.m.

Snowfall predictions have dropped in parts of South Jersey, which could be hit mostly by a mix of snow, sleet, and rain. Projections in the Vineland area of Cumberland County fell from 6 to 8 inches to 4 to 6 inches, and the Toms River area of Ocean County fell from 6 to 8 inches to 3 to 4.

The storm could also bring coastal flooding and strong wind gusts, possibly leading to power outages. Travel is also expected to be difficult thanks to blowing and drifting snow.

The National Weather Service has placed much of New Jersey under a winter storm warning. The agency warns that road conditions are likely to be dangerous from late Sunday night through much of Monday.

“Travel could be very difficult to impossible,” according to the warnings.

STORM TIMING

The heaviest amount of snow is expected in eastern Pennsylvania and central and northern New Jersey, the National Weather Service said in its 5 p.m. storm briefing. But the exact track of the storm remains uncertain. A shift could bring heavier snow farther north or south, the agency said.

Precipitation is expected to begin Sunday night into Monday morning. The snow is expected to be heaviest during the day Monday, with rates exceeding 1 inch per hour at points. The snow will likely continue into Tuesday, though accumulation will be limited by then.

STRONG WINDS

Forecasters are calling for strong winds, especially near the coast and over water, with gusts reaching 40 to 50 mph on Monday. That, they said, could lead to power outages.

FLOODING

Coastal flooding is likely and could reach moderate levels as early as Monday morning along the Atlantic coast and Delaware Bay, according to the NWS.

A coastal flood watch has been issued in coastal Ocean, eastern Monmouth, Middlesex, Ocean, southeastern Burlington and western Monmouth, effective from 7 a.m. Monday to 5 p.m. Tuesday. The watch says 1 to 2 feet of inundation above ground level is possible in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways

A coastal flood watch has been issued in coastal sections of Atlantic and Cape May, effective from 7 a.m. Monday to 5 p.m. Tuesday.

With these types of levels, “widespread roadway flooding occurs in coastal and bayside communities and along inland tidal waterways. Many roads become impassable. Some damage to vulnerable structures may begin to occur.”

WINTER STORM WARNINGS

Camden County: 10 a.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Gloucester and Salem counties: 10 a.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Burlington, Monmouth and Ocean counties: 1 p.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, Warren: 5 p.m. Sunday to 1 p.m. Tuesday.

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES

Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland counties: 10 a.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Coastal Ocean County: 10 a.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Tuesday.

WINTER STORM WATCHES

A winter storm watch is in effect at midnight Monday (late Sunday night) and continues through 6 a.m. Tuesday in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties.

A winter storm watch is in effect in Sussex County from 5 p.m. Sunday to 1 p.m. Tuesday.

*Winter Storm Forecast in the US updating with The National Weather Service is scheduled to release its next storm briefing at about 7 a.m. Sunday.

US Weather Forecast: Biggest snowstorm in two years to battle Midweast and Northeast US Weather Forecast for this weekend and the coming week: The February temperature is expected to split the nation with the coldest conditions in the ...