Winter’s early encore: Snow lingers in the East as the West braces for a stormy show

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas — at least for now. After a frigid blast that turned much of the country into a winter postcard this week, the nation’s weather is starting to rearrange itself, according to the National Weather Service.

In a short-range forecast discussion issued early Wednesday, the Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, said the polar air mass and strong winds responsible for snow-swept streets and record chills in the East are finally easing up. “Temperatures moderate in the East; West and Central U.S. warm up,” the forecast noted.

Still, the NWS said some “lake-effect” snow will stick around. Westerly winds off the Great Lakes will keep flakes flying across parts of Michigan, New York and New England through Thursday morning.

But just as the East unwraps a break from winter’s chill, the West is getting its own early holiday gift. The Weather Prediction Center reported that a strong Pacific storm is brewing offshore and will start making landfall Wednesday night. The system is expected to bring heavy rain, mountain snow and strong winds across California and up through Oregon.

Winter storm warnings are in effect for the southern Sierra Nevada, while northern areas of the Sierra are under winter weather advisories. The NWS shared that coastal California and parts of southern-central Oregon are also facing high wind warnings through Thursday.

The NWS has placed parts of the Bay Area and the Sierra Nevada under a “slight risk” — at least a 15% chance — of excessive rainfall, meaning at least a 15% chance of flash flooding. Scattered flooding is also possible as far south as Los Angeles.

So while much of the country is digging out from an early taste of winter, the next act is already rolling in from the Pacific. For now, it seems Mother Nature is testing her holiday playlist — from Jule Styne’s “Let It Snow” in the Northeast to Ariana Grande’s “Snow in California” in the West.

And in Utah ...

KSL meteorologist Matt Johns said the Beehive State’s idyllic fall weather will remain mild for a bit longer, but clouds will fill the skies Wednesday and Thursday.

Of note, there is still a good chance for clear skies Wednesday night to view the aurora borealis in Utah.

Friday’s storm system is splitting and will likely just bring clouds and a slight chance for some rain showers. A more active and cool pattern is setting up for Sunday — next week.

Here’s what people are seeing