Winter Storm Echo Shuts Down Highways in California, Oregon

Why does the National Weather service only issue severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings and not for blizzards or storm warnings? Caltrans closed the northbound lanes of I-5 from Yreka, California, to the OR state line for a time Sunday afternoon. Heavy snow will develop by early Tuesday morning.

The warning is in effect from 5 p.m. Monday until 5 p.m. Tuesday. Last season brought the second-lowest seasonal snowfall total on record in the Utah capital, with only 15.4 inches total.

This includes Salt Lake City, which could see its heaviest snowstorm since an unnamed winter storm dumped 13.3 inches on the city January 27-30, 2013.

Light snow, up to 1 inch, could continue to fall into the evening. Wind is also expected to pick up, gusting as high as 35 miles per hour.

Snow looks to begin east of the Laramie Range by sunrise Tuesday, then spread out into the Nebraska Panhandle around noon time Tuesday.

Beyond Wednesday, high pressure will build in by Thursday and much sunnier skies are expected through the weekend.

This will make travel very hazardous or impossible. Snow and blowing snow will develop over the urban corridor and the Northeast Plains of Colorado late tonight and Tuesday. Highs will be quite a bit colder by the middle of next week with highs in the lower to middle 20s and lows in the single digits to lower teens.