Colliding Snowstorms to Unleash Heavy Snowfall over Rockies and Plains for Christmas

A pair of powerful storms - one hitting Southern California and the deserts with heavy rain, the other striking the Northwest with rain and snow - are forecasted to merge over the central United States during the Christmas weekend.

Their collision will likely cause an extended period of accumulating snowfall and hazardous travel conditions across parts of the Rockies and Plains.

Meteorologists closely track the storms’ movements to pinpoint which areas may see the worst impacts. Before merging later in the week, the separate storms will initially bring pockets of snow to the southern Rockies and interior Northwest.

However, warm air over the region will keep snow levels high, meaning precipitation may start as rain even in typically snowy spots like Boise, Flagstaff, and Salt Lake City.

Although beneficial for ski resorts in the northern Rockies thanks to fresh powder, the snow could make travel to higher elevations difficult amid expected blizzard conditions on mountain passes.