Western states, including Arizona, are prepping for another winter storm.
Light rain and snow that started falling over the weekend in California was turning heavier on Monday. Forecasters say the state's highest peaks could get as much as 8 feet of snow while lower elevations across California are in for a serious drenching of rain.
People in mountainous areas have been warned to prepare for days of snowfall and possible road closures.
This storm will pack a chilly and windy punch for most of Arizona, too!
In northern Arizona, a Winter Storm Warning is in effect late tonight through Wednesday morning. This is mainly for areas along the Mogollon Rim, in the White Mountains, along the Kaibab Plateau and in higher terrain spots of northeastern Arizona above 6,500 feet in elevation.
Snowfall totals will likely be in the 3 to 7 inch range in many of these spots, including in Flagstaff.
The Valley will be under a Wind Advisory and Blowing Dust Advisory Tuesday evening through early Wednesday morning. Watch out for wind gusts near 45 mph and reduced visibility due to blowing dust!
For northern and eastern Arizona, a High Wind Warning is in effect Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Damaging wind gusts of 65 mph are possible there, so watch out for blowing dust, blowing snow, and dangerous cross-winds.
Be sure to secure loose objects and Christmas decorations before the storm arrives.
With the potential for damaging winds in the Valley later tonight, we will be in ABC15 Weather Action mode.
We will see rain move through too as the cold front with this storm moves through. The key timing on that will be between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. for the Phoenix metro area.
We're expecting anywhere from a trace to a quarter of an inch of rain across the Valley.
This system will also bring in very cold air and drop temperatures in the Valley into the upper 50s to low 60s Wednesday afternoon.
Overnight lows will plummet into the upper 30s to low 40s Thursday morning.
Then, we'll slowly rebound for the rest of the week. Valley highs will be back in the mid-60s by Friday and upper 60s by this weekend.
