Winter Weather Alert: Which states will see snow storms today, Wednesday, January 3?
Winter weather will be causing disruption in the freezing northern state of Alaska while warnings have been issued further south in California and Nevada.
Cold temperatures and snow are creating dangerous conditions around the country. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued dozens of alerts. If you live in an affected area, it is advised that you take the proper precautions to stay safe. We have compiled all of the current winter alerts active for Wednesday 27 December, and for the full details, check out the NWS website.
What is a Winter Weather Advisory?
The NWS issues a Winter Weather Advisory “for any amount of freezing rain, or when 2 to 4 inches of snow (alone or in combination with sleet and freezing rain), is expected to cause a significant inconvenience, but not serious enough to warrant a warning.” For the details, please review the information uploaded to the NWS website, which compiles and updates these alerts.
What is a Winter Storm Warning?
The more severe alert issued by the NWS is a Winter Storm Warning, which includes “heavy snow of at least six inches in 12 hours, or at least eight inches in 24 hours, is expected. It can also be issued if sleet accumulation will be at least half an inch.”
What is a Freezing Fog Advisory?
The NWS issues a Freezing Fog Advisory when visibility is below one mile in freezing fog. Low visibility can make driving conditions hazardous. Freezing fog will also lead to icy spots on roadways, especially on elevated surfaces such as overpasses and bridges.
What is an Ice Storm Warning? A Blizzard Warning?
The NWS also issues other severe weather alerts: one is called an Ice Storm Warning, where ice accumulation of at least one-fourth of an inch is expected, while a Blizzard Warning is given when blizzard conditions are expected for at least three hours.
Alaska
Winter Weather Advisory
- Bering Strait Coast: FROM 6 AM WEDNESDAY TO 6 PM AKST THURSDAY
- Central Brooks Range: FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 3 PM AKST FRIDAY
- Kivalina and Red Dog Dock-Lower Kobuk Valley-Baldwin Peninsula-Upper Kobuk Valleys: UNTIL 6 PM AKST THURSDAY
- Northeast Prince William Sound: FROM 9 AM WEDNESDAY TO 1 AM AKST THURSDAY FOR THOMPSON PASS
- Northern Seward Peninsula: UNTIL 6 PM AKST WEDNESDAY
- Southern Seward Peninsula Coast: FROM NOON WEDNESDAY TO 3 PM AKST THURSDAY
- St Lawrence Island: FROM 6 AM WEDNESDAY TO 2 PM AKST THURSDAY
- White Mountains and High Terrain South of the Yukon River: UNTIL 9 AM AKST THURSDAY
- Yukon Delta Coast: UNTIL 6 AM AKST THURSDAY
Winter Storm Warning
- Upper Koyukuk Valley-Dalton Highway Summits: UNTIL 3 PM AKST THURSDAY
Arizona
Winter Weather Warning
- Northeast Plateaus and Mesas Hwy 264 Northward-Chuska Mountains and Defiance Plateau-
Little Colorado River Valley in Apache County-Eastern Mogollon Rim-White Mountains-Northern Gila County-Black Mesa Area-Northeast Plateaus and Mesas South of Hwy 264: FROM 10 PM WEDNESDAY TO NOON MST THURSDAY ABOVE 5000 FEET: FROM 5 PM WEDNESDAY TO 8 AM MST THURSDAY ABOVE 5000 FEET - Kaibab Plateau-Grand Canyon Country-Coconino Plateau-Western Mogollon Rim-Oak Creek and Sycamore Canyons:
- White Mountains of Graham and Greenlee Counties: FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON MST THURSDAY
California
Winter Weather Advisory
- Piute Walker Basin-Tehachapi-Grapevine-Frazier Mountain Communities: FROM 1 AM PST TONIGHT UNTIL 4 AM PST THURSDAY MORNING
- San Bernardino County Mountains-Riverside County Mountains: FROM 6 AM TO 8 PM WEDNESDAY ABOVE 5500 FEET
- Santa Barbara County Interior Mountains-
Southern Ventura County Mountains-
Northern Ventura County Mountains-Interstate 5 Corridor-Western San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 Corridor-Eastern San Gabriel Mountains: FROM 3 AM WEDNESDAY TO 10 AM PST THURSDAY - Southern Trinity: UNTIL 5 AM PST WEDNESDAY ABOVE 3000 FEET
Winter Storm Warning
- Northern Trinity: UNTIL 3 AM PST WEDNESDAY ABOVE 4500 FEET
- Western Plumas County/Lassen Park-West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada: FROM 7 PM PST THIS EVENING TO
10 PM PST WEDNESDAY ABOVE 4000 FEET - Yosemite NP outside of the valley-Yosemite Valley-Upper San Joaquin River-Kaiser to Rodgers Ridge-Kings Canyon NP-Grant Grove Area-Sequoia NP-South End of the Upper Sierra: UNTIL 4 AM PST THURSDAY MORNING
Colorado
Winter Weather Advisory
- Animas River Basin-San Juan River Basin: FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 PM MST THURSDAY
- Eastern San Juan Mountains Above 10000 Feet: FROM 11 PM WEDNESDAY TO 11 PM MST THURSDAY
- Four Corners/Upper Dolores River: FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 PM MST THURSDAY
- Southwest San Juan Mountains: FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 PM MST THURSDAY
Winter Storm Warning
- Central Aleutians: UNTIL 5 PM AKST TUESDAY
- Dalton Highway Summits: FROM NOON TUESDAY TO 3 PM AKST THURSDAY
- Upper Koyukuk Valley: FROM NOON TUESDAY TO 3 PM AKST THURSDAY
Nevada
Winter Weather Advisory
- Eastern Sierra Slopes-White Mountains of Inyo County: FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 AM PST THURSDAY ABOVE 7000 FEET
- Greater Lake Tahoe Area-Greater Lake Tahoe Area: FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 1AM PST THURSDAY FOR THE TAHOE BASIN ABOVE 7000 FEET
- Lincoln County: FROM 8 AM WEDNESDAY TO 4 AM PST THURSDAY ABOVE 6000 FEET
- Mono County: FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 1AM PST THURSDAY FOR MONO COUNTY ABOVE 7000 FEET
- Northern Elko County: FROM 4 AM EARLY THIS MORNING TO 4 AM PST THURSDAY
- Northwest Plateau: FROM 2 PM WEDNESDAY TO 5 AM MST THURSDAY ABOVE 5000 FEET
- Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range-White Pine County-Northern Lander County and Northern Eureka County-Southern Lander County and Southern Eureka County-Southwest Elko County-Northeastern Nye County: FROM 4 AM EARLY THIS MORNING TO 4 AM PST THURSDAY ABOVE 6500 FEET
- Sheep Range-Spring Mountains-Red Rock Canyon: FROM 8 AM WEDNESDAY TO 4 AM PST THURSDAY ABOVE 6000 FEET
New York
Winter Weather Warning
- Oswego-Jefferson-Lewis: FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 10 AM EST THURSDAY
Oregon
Winter Storm Warning
- Western Siskiyou County-South Central Siskiyou County-North Central and Southeast Siskiyou County: UNTIL 7 AM PST WEDNESDAY ABOVE 4500 FEET
Utah
Winter Weather Advisory
- Southern Mountains: FROM NOON WEDNESDAY TO 11 PM MST THURSDAY
It’s important to keep yourself updated with the latest weather alerts. To get the full details, you can visit the NWS website. In most cases, these warnings will advise you to stay off the roads or take necessary precautions. For instance, make sure to give yourself extra time to reach your destination as the roads might be slippery and require you to slow down at certain points. When you’re not on the road, it’s also important to be cautious while walking on walkways, sidewalks, and paths as they can become icy and increase the risk of injuries.