At a Glance

Another low-pressure system will move into the West Thursday night.Rain and higher-elevation snow are expected through the West late this week.This area of low pressure will strengthen as it tracks through the central U.S. this weekend.Snow and gusty winds are expected in parts of the Plains and Midwest.Some snow and ice will also spread into parts of the Northeast.

Another powerful low-pressure system will track across the Lower 48 late this week and into the weekend, bringing snow, ice and wind from the West into the Plains, upper Midwest and Northeast.

(MORE: Winter Storm Central)

This system will move into the West Coast late Thursday and will bring rain and mountain snow to the West. This includes California, which has already seen rain, snow and some flooding this week from another system.

After tracking through the West, this system will emerge in the Plains late Friday into early Saturday. As it does, it will intensify, resulting in a snow, ice and wind threat on the north side of this system, with potential blizzard conditions in the northern Plains.

The National Weather Service has issued winter storm watches from southeast Montana and northern Wyoming into northwest Wisconsin. This is the area that could see the great impacts from this upcoming snow event.

The winter weather advisories to the south of the winter storm watches are for a round of light snow Thursday.

Forecast Through This Weekend

Thursday Night-Friday

Rain and higher-elevation snow will develop from parts of the West Coast into the Great Basin and Rockies through Friday.

By Friday night, the area of precipitation will slide eastward, extending from the Rockies into the Plains. Snow is expected in the Rockies and much of the northern Plains, while a mix of rain, snow, sleet and freezing rain will develop from Nebraska and northern Kansas to much of Iowa.

Saturday

More snow is anticipated for parts of the northern Plains and upper Midwest, areas that have seen more than their share of snow, recently. Heavy, wet snow is possible from the Dakotas to central Wisconsin with snowfall rates up to 2 inches per hour at times.

However, some areas that have recently seen snowfall will see rain with this system. Some locations from Nebraska to Iowa and southern Wisconsin may start off as a mix of snow, rain, sleet and freezing rain before turning over to snow.

In addition, winds will increase as the area of low pressure strengthens, with gusts up to 45 mph possible. This could result in reduced visibility, drifting snow and blizzard conditions in some locations, particularly in the northern Plains.

Snow, sleet and ice will begin to spread into the Northeast Saturday night, with rain in the mid-Atlantic states.

Farther south, severe thunderstorms, including tornadoes, are possible. For more on the severe side of the storm click .

Sunday

The low-pressure system will push into the Great Lakes and southeastern Canada Sunday into Monday.

Snow will persist in parts of the upper Midwest, while a mix of rain and snow is likely in the eastern Great Lakes.

Snow, sleet and freezing rain may also fall in the Northeast, especially early in the day, before changing to rain in most of the region.

Although some rain and snow may linter in the Northeast into Monday, drier conditions will develop for most of the East.

How Much Snow?

The highest snowfall totals will likely be found in the higher elevations of the Colorado Rockies and the Wasatch Range in northern Utah through Friday.

Up to a foot of snow is possible in the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada.

Farther east, the heaviest snowfall can generally be expected from South Dakota into Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

Light to moderate snowfall is expected elsewhere from central North Dakota and central Nebraska into the northern Great Lakes.

The Northeast will also see some light snowfall accumulation, with moderate snowfall possible in parts of the Adirondacks in New York and the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

There is also a low chance of some ice accumulations of more than a tenth of an inch from the central Plains to the southern Great Lakes and in parts of the Northeast.