The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) is warning that a “major winter storm” is slated to bring snow, strong winds, and low visibility to the northern Rockies region.
Parts of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and eastern Washington were under winter storm watches or warnings, according to the agency.
Montana is forecast to be the hardest-hit during the storm.
The highest amount of snow is slated to fall in the mountains but some valleys could see snow in the area.
In elaborating on the system, the agency said the storm is developing along a front over the northern Rockies, and it will develop over the northern high plains region before moving east.
Harsh winds, heavy snow, and low temperatures will “produce downed power lines with power outages and tree damage,” according to the NWS website.
And meanwhile, “The temperatures will be below average over parts of the Pacific Northwest, Great Basin, California, into the Northern Rockies and Northern High Plains. In contrast, temperatures will be much above average over parts of the Central to Southern Plains into the East,” forecasters said.
In contrast, there will be above-average temperatures across the East Coast and Midwest, forecasters said.