Wild West: Snow aims for northern Rockies as wildfire danger lingers in south

Summer starts up next week, but Old Man Winter will visit parts of the interior Northwest as cool air and snow move into the region. Farther south, the pattern will contribute to a persistent wildfire danger.

The official start of summer is less than a week away, but part of the northwestern United States will look and feel months removed from that reality during the final days of spring, AccuWeather meteorologists say.

"A pair of storms will sweep through the Northwest in quick succession through early next week, ushering in a cooler and wetter pattern to the region," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said. To the south of these storms, winds will ramp up and keep the wildfire risk elevated in portions of Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. Farther east, severe weather will erupt as the storms track across the Rockies and onto the High Plains.

The shift in the pattern might be a shock to the system for some, following a relatively dry and warm first half of June across the interior Northwest.

Winter storm watches in effect as astronomical summer approaches

The map of active weather alerts sheds some light on the upcoming weather pattern, with much of the high terrain of western Montana peppered with winter storm watches as of Friday morning.

"The second storm slated to move in from the Pacific between Sunday night and Monday is expected to pack more of a punch compared to the first storm," Buckingham said. "Enough cold air in the upper levels of the atmosphere is expected to bring a late-season round of accumulating snowfall to the northern Rockies or northern Idaho, western Montana and northwestern Wyoming."

AccuWeather forecasters expect enough snow to fall to create slippery and difficult travel in the backcountry and over the mountain passes later Monday into Tuesday. Should the storm reach its full potential, more than a foot of snow is not out of the question.

Regardless of accumulations, the snow will be wet and clingy, making it more likely to stick to and weigh down trees and power lines, leading to potential power outages.

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Outside of the mountains, precipitation will take the form of rain, and temperatures will be 10-20 degrees below historical averages for mid-June across the interior. High temperatures will be held to the 40s, 50s and 60s in many cases, which is more typical of April.

Closer to the coast, residents and visitors of Portland, Oregon, and Seattle will need umbrellas and raincoats on hand through Monday as occasional showers are expected. While conditions will not be quite as cool as farther inland, an extra layer or two may still be needed with highs 5-10 degrees below the historical average.

Southwest: Wildfire danger remains high despite a decline in temperatures

Mother Nature will press pause, at least temporarily, on the wildfire threat across the interior Northwest thanks to the cool, wet conditions. Farther south, the pattern shift will prolong the risk of fire ignition and spread.

"The storms moving across the Northwest have the potential to produce widespread gusty winds across the Great Basin and Southwest, which could quickly ramp up wildfire concerns," Buckingham said.

The zone from southern Utah through northern and central Arizona, southwestern Colorado and western New Mexico will face gusty winds and dry air and, when paired with parched vegetation, will result in a high fire risk. Even in areas outside of this zone, experts urge people to use caution when handling outdoor flames.

The upcoming week as a whole will feature less extreme heat across the Southwestern states, AccuWeather meteorologists say.

"Even in places removed from any rain or snow chances, temperatures will trend downward across a majority of the West early next week," Buckingham said.

While the heat lessens in the West, residents farther east are gearing up for their first heat wave of the season next week.

Additional reporting by AccuWeather meteorology intern Peyton Simmers.

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