Weather: Avalanche, Blizzard Warnings Issued As 'Strong Winter Storm' Hits 11 States

A "strong winter storm" that is affecting 11 states will continue to bring heavy snow in the Intermountain West and the Plains "with multiple hazards" starting early this week. Avalanche and blizzard warnings have been issued in some states, while others are under winter weather warnings.

"Major storm system currently bringing heavy mountain snow and coastal rain to the West will begin to shift into the Plains Monday," the National Weather Service (NWS) said in its Short Range Public Discussion report released Sunday.

Officials are expecting up to 12 inches of snowfall in the Great Basin, the Central Rockies, Arizona and southern California.

The Sawtooth Avalanche Center in Idaho warned that avalanche danger in the forecast area is "HIGH and EXTREME." Officials discouraged travel to avalanche terrain and areas that are exposed to "hazard from above."

In Nebraska, the NWS in North Platte warned of blizzard conditions expected in the northwest of the state through Thursday morning.

Officials with the NWS in Riverton, Wyoming are expecting up to 11 inches of snowfall in Rawlins and Kaycee, up to 12 inches in Thermopolis and Casper, and up to 14 inches in Sheridan.

Other neighboring states are also expecting heavy snow, with California, Nevada, Oregon and several other states under Winter Storm Warnings or Winter Weather Advisories.

There are currently no active alerts in Washington, but officials at the NWS in Spokane urged residents to take extra care when outdoors due to reduced visibility and slick surfaces on untreated sidewalks and roadways.

Winter alerts in Idaho

Avalanche Warnings effective through 6 a.m. Tuesday:

• Sawtooth Range area – Boise, Camas, Elmore and Valley
• Wood River Foothills – Big Lost Highlands, Copper Basin, Stanley Basin, Sun Valley Region

Winter Storm Warnings effective through 4 a.m. Monday:

• Lost River Valleys (up to 10 inches possible)
• Lost River Range (up to 9 inches possible)
• Sun Valley Region – Wood River Foothills (up to 15 inches possible on elevations above passes)
• Copper Basin – Big Lost Highlands (up to 12 inches)

Winter Storm Warning effective through 11 a.m. Monday:

• Lower Hells Canyon – Salmon River Region (up to 10 inches above 2,500 feet possible)

Winter Storm Warning effective through 4 p.m. Monday:

• Beaverhead – Lemhi Highlands, Centennial Mountains, Island Park (up to 16 inches possible on elevations above passes)

Winter alerts in Nebraska

Blizzard Warning effective from 5 p.m. Monday through 11 p.m. Wednesday:

• Dawes County and North Sioux County

Blizzard Warning effective from 11 p.m. Monday through 5 a.m. Thursday:

• Sheridan County and Western Cherry County

Winter Storm Watch effective through Tuesday evening:

• Dundy (up to 8 inches of snow and wind gusts of up to 60 mph possible)

Winter Storm Watches effective through Wednesday evening:

• Central and southern Nebraska panhandle – Banner, Box Butte, Cheyenne, Morrill, Scotts Bluff, South Sioux
• Portions of north-central, southwest and west-central Nebraska – Arthur, Brown, Deuel, Eastern Cherry, Garden, Kimball, Grant, Hooker, Keith, Keya Paha, Thomas, Perkins and McPherson

Winter alerts in Wyoming

Blizzard Warning effective from 5 p.m. Monday through 11 p.m. Wednesday:

• Niobrara County – Converse County Lower Elevations (up to 16 inches possible in the Pine Ridge area)

Winter Storm Warnings effective from 3 p.m. Monday through 6 a.m. Wednesday:

• Owl Creek Mountains – Bridger Mountains and Southwest Big Horn Basin (up to 12 inches in higher elevations possible)
• Northeast and Southeast Johnson County (up to 12 inches possible over eastern portions of the county)
• Casper Mountain – Natrona County Lower Elevations (up to 16 inches possible)

Winter Storm Warnings effective from 11 a.m. Monday through 5 a.m. Thursday:

• Northeast Bighorn Mountains (up to 16 inches possible)
• Sheridan Foothills (up to 16 inches possible)

Winter alerts in Nevada

Winter Storm Warning effective through 4 a.m. Monday:

• Greater Lake Tahoe Area (wind gusts of up to 70 mph possible)

Winter Storm Warning effective through 10 p.m. Monday:

• Ruby Mountains – East Humboldt Range (up to 12 inches possible)

Winter alerts in Colorado

Winter Storm Warnings effective through 11 p.m. Monday:

• Eastern San Juan Mountains above 10,000 feet (up to 14 inches possible)
• Southwest San Juan Mountains (up to 12 inches possible)

Winter Storm Watch effective through late Tuesday evening:

• Central and East Adams and Arapahoe Counties – Logan, Morgan, Philips, Sedgwick and Washington

Winter alert in Oregon

Winter Storm Warning effective through 10 a.m. Monday:

• Wallowa County (up to 10 inches possible)

Winter alerts in New Mexico

Winter Weather Advisories effective through 8 a.m. Tuesday:

• Gila Region – Black Range above 6,500 feet and New Mexico Bootheel Highlands
• Lowlands of Bootheel, Southwest Desert, Lower and Upper Gila River Valley
• Sacramento Mountains and West Slopes Sacramento Mountains above 7,500 feet

Winter alerts in Montana

Winter Storm Warnings effective from 11 a.m. Monday through 5 a.m. Thursday:

• Bighorn Canyon, Northern and Southern Bighorn and Treasure (up to 16 inches possible)
• Pryor Mountains (up to 16 inches possible)

Winter alerts in California

Winter Storm Warning effective through 4 a.m. Monday:

• White Mountains of Inyo County – Eastern Sierra Slopes of Inyo County (up to 30 inches of snow possible)
• Mariposa-Madera Lower Sierra - Upper San Joaquin River, Yosemite NP outside of the valley, Yosemite Valley, Grant Grove area, Kaiser to Rodgers Ridge, Kings Canyon NP, San Joaquin River Canyon, Sequoia NP, South End of the Upper Sierra, Mono, West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada, Western Plumas County, Lassen Park

Winter Storm Warning effective through 6 p.m. Monday:

• Ventura County Mountains – Santa Barbara County Interior Mountains and Los Angeles County Mountains

Winter Storm Warnings effective through 10 p.m. Monday:

• San Bernardino County Mountains – Riverside County Mountains
• San Diego County Mountains

Winter alerts in Utah

Winter Storm Warnings effective through 5 p.m. Tuesday:

• Wasatch Back (up to 14 inches possible in Ogden Valley)
• Wasatch mountains I-80 North and South of I-80 (up to 25 inches possible)

Winter alerts in Arizona

Winter Weather Advisories effective through 11 p.m. Monday:

• Northern Gila County – Eastern Mogollon Rim (up to 11 inches possible in the Heber-Overgaard area)
• White Mountains