Line of Snow to Stretch Nearly 2,000 Miles Across Northern U.S.

A storm that will drop significant snowfall across the Rockies will eventually spread lighter snow accumulations to parts of the central U.S. and into the Appalachians by the end of the week. Here is what you need to know about who is in the bullseye for the snowfall accumulation.

More Snow Headed from the Rockies and to the East

The winter weather maker began to drop snow across the Intermountain West on Wednesday. The system will have stretched almost 2,000 miles by the time it reaches the central Appalachians on Friday. This is the same event that triggered the threat of blizzard conditions late Wednesday, speaking to its intensity.

The greatest amount of snow on Thursday will swirl across parts of the Wasatch, Teton, and Rocky Mountain ranges. Widespread snowfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches are in the forecast for this part of the Intermountain West. The highest elevations could pick up nearly 2 feet of snow by the time that the moisture machine moves to the east.

For instance, Park City, Utah, is forecast to record 1 to 3 inches of snow during the day Thursday with another inch tacked on overnight. Daytime highs will hover in the mid 30s, dropping into the mid 20s overnight in this popular ski area.

It will be a snowy wonderland in the tourist destination of Jackson, Wyoming. The jumping off point for Yellowstone National Park is bracing for 3 to 5 inches of snow on Thursday with another inch in store overnight and into Friday. Temperatures will hover around the freezing mark for a high before settling at about 20 degrees overnight. Winds out of the north-northeast at 10 to 15 mph will amplify the chill in the air.

The snow will take longer to arrive in Laramie, Wyoming. The college town will see rain and snow mix together in the afternoon with highs that climb into the upper 30s. It will be a breezy day Thursday with winds out of the southeast at 10 to 20 mph. Falling temperatures that land at about 20 degrees overnight will mean that the rain will switch to all snow. About an inch of accumulation is in the forecast at this time.