Thousands of Americans across seven states are on alert for harsh winter weather, and the National Weather Service (NWS) warns of up to three feet of snow in some places.
Urgent winter storm warnings and watches, winter weather advisories, and blizzard warnings have been issued for large portions of the United States, spanning from the Mountain West region to Alaska.
Forecasts indicate that treacherous conditions in some mountainous areas could pose significant risks to transportation, power infrastructure, and public safety.
NWS officials warn that travel could be “very difficult to impossible” in some affected areas, with some outdoor pursuits becoming “life-threatening” in certain other regions.
According to the NWS, a winter storm warning means confidence that heavy snow, sleet, or freezing rain will cause “significant impacts”. Whereas a winter storm watch means confidence is medium for the above to happen.
Meanwhile, a winter weather advisory means that light amounts of wintry precipitation or patchy blowing snow will cause slick conditions and could make travel difficult if precautions are not taken.
