Blizzard Warning Issued for Five States Amid Major Winter Storm

Blizzard warnings are in place for areas in five states as winter storms making landfall from the Pacific Ocean continue to pummel the northwest.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued alerts for Alaska, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, warning of difficult travel conditions due to reduced visibility and whiteout conditions in places.

In its latest forecast, the meteorology agency said a "strong Pacific front moving inland" would bring "very heavy snow for the Cascades and Sierra, and then across the higher mountain ranges of Nevada." It predicts the pattern will then move southeastward, bringing valley rain and mountain snow to Arizona and New Mexico into Thursday.

It comes after northwestern states faced heavy precipitation from two "powerful" atmospheric river storms on Monday and Tuesday, bringing rare blizzard warnings to the areas surrounding Seattle.

Western states have already faced several bouts of snowfall so far this winter, having been subjected to a "prolific series" of atmospheric river storms in December. Last winter, the West Coast experienced the effects of a similar weather front, with California seeing several rounds of flooding.

In Washington and Oregon, blizzard warnings are in place for the Blue Mountains and the Cascades.

In the Blue Mountains, snow accumulations could reach up to 40 inches, while wind gusts could be as high as 55 mph In the Cascades, settled snow is expected to reach 56 inches in places—with several feet in other parts of the range—with winds of up to 75 mph at ski resort elevations.

A warning is also in effect for the Olympic Mountains in Washington above 2,000 feet, with up to eight inches of snow accumulating and winds of 50 mph gusting.

"Strong winds could cause extensive damage to trees and power lines," the NWS said, with freezing winds in places able to cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.

In southwest Idaho, up to 10 inches of snow is expected, with winds as high as 60 mph until Wednesday morning, with whiteout conditions causing "dangerous" travel conditions.

The Ruby Mountains and Humboldt Range of Nevada could see up to 21 inches of snow and wind gusts of up to 70 mph until Wednesday evening.

Blizzard conditions are also expected on Nunivak Island and the Kuskokwim Delta coast of Alaska due to snow of up to eight inches and winds as high as 40 mph.

At the same time, the NWS said blizzard conditions were becoming "increasingly likely" for parts of the Midwest toward the end of the week.

Hazardous weather is expected for the northeast on Wednesday, including heavy rain capable of producing flooding from southern New England to Maine.

The NWS said that for parts of Maine, up to three inches of rain "over highly saturated, and in some cases snow-covered ground, along with swollen creeks and streams, will elevate the potential for flooding across this region."

At the same time, up to 60 mph winds are expected along the East Coast, which are anticipated to cause instances of coastal flooding.