Monday's forecast: Storms for Northwest, central USA

The cold and unstable airmass of the Northwest will spread into the Central Great Basin and the Central Rockies by early Monday morning as a strong cold front moves through the area. Below average temperatures in these regions will allow widely scattered light snow showers to develop through the morning hours.

Snow in the Central Rockies will be enhanced by a system and moisture pushing out of the desert Southwest. Total snow accumulations in the mountains are expected to range from 5 to 10 inches with locally higher amounts. Gusty southwest winds may create periods of drifting snow through the day.

A Winter Weather Advisory will remain in effect for the Central Rockies through Monday evening. Behind this system, chilly, below normal temperatures will persist in much of the West. Another disturbance will move across Washington in the afternoon, allowing for more rain and mountain snow showers. Meanwhile, the trough of low pressure in the Northwest will slide out of the Northern Rockies and a cold front will extend from the Upper Great Lakes through the Central and Southern Plains.

Southerly flow ahead of this front and its associated low-pressure system in the Central Plains will usher moisture from the Gulf of Mexico north. This will lead to generally light rain showers in the Lower Mississippi Valley and eastern Texas through the afternoon.

Showers will increase and spread into the Tennessee and Ohio Valley during the evening/Monday night with possible thunderstorm activity as the cold front pushes eastward.