Winter storm hits California: snowfall and heavy blizzards expected

This Friday, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported that the winter storm that is affecting the west of the country will make its way to California. The federal agency announced that heavy snowfall and strong winds are expected, in addition to torrential rains in the southern part of the state. According to the NWS, the storm will affect California through the weekend, and is forecasted to subside beginning Saturday.

Areas of California that are not used to seeing snow could be affected by the storm. Other stretches of the state such as the Sierra Nevada are expected to get 3-5 feet, while places such as the Great Basin and the Four Corners region could see 1-2 feet. Aggressive blizzards are forecast at high elevations in the Transverse Range, so people are being asked not to visit. Over the weekend, temperatures will range from a high of 53 degrees to a low of 40 degrees in California.

This storm will affect more than 65 million people in 30 states in the central and western United States. All-time records were broken for temperatures in cities in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. These extreme conditions significantly impact the lives and mobility of citizens: interstate highways have already been closed from Arizona to Wyoming, where hundreds of drivers have been stranded in their vehicles, thousands of people have been without power, and nearly 7,000 flights have been cancelled and delayed.

Despite the cold out west, high temperatures are being recorded on the east coast. The NWS reported record high temperatures in the Southeast Thursday, reaching 92 degrees Fahrenheit in East Texas and 89 degrees in South Florida.