Big winter storm tries to move from the Rockies & Four Corners area

The winter storms continue to gear up to move east where record snowfall could be set across parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes area. But on Wednesday, it will still affect much of the Rockies, Four Corners, and the southern fringe of the Northern Plains.

The wide low-pressure system starts to move today, but the wind and winter conditions will linger through Thursday across much of the Rockies. Where the snow falls there will also be gusty winds, which will blow the snow, often limiting visibility in the roads and messing with the snow totals across many locations. Strong winds could also knock down trees and powerlines, leading to widespread power outages.

Snowy and icy roads have affected Denver area travelers Wednesday morning, and the snow will likely continue to fall throughout the day. The heaviest snow will be falling in the morning and afternoon across the Front Range in Colorado. Along the I-70 corridor, heavy snow will pick up during the afternoon, making conditions very dangerous for travelers.

Between 4 to 6 inches of snow are possible. The higher terrain could see more than a foot of snow through the evening. Temperatures will be sharply dropping too! Single digits are forecast by the afternoon, and with the winds, temperatures will feel like they are in the negatives.

Much of Utah has also been dealing with snow during the Wednesday morning commute. Winter storm warnings will continue to be in effect as periods of heavy snow are possible through Thursday morning, although the snow will slowly try to taper off by Wednesday evening.

For Arizona’s mountains like the Mogollon Rim, White Mountain, and even the northern Canyons, additional snow up to 10 inches is possible through Wednesday evening. But the snow will continue to fall through Friday morning - much lighter than Wednesday’s round but with the strong wind blowing there could be some snow drifting. Heads up! Another round of heavy snow is expected over the weekend.

New Mexico will also deal with midweek snowfall as the low-pressure system moves to the north and very cold air seeps in. Winter storm warnings are in effect for the far northwest Highlands and west-central mountains through Thursday morning. An additional 8 inches of snow across elevations above 7,500 feet, and up to 4 inches below this height are expected. Roads will be icy, and mixed in with the falling snow will be gusty winds, making road travel extremely dangerous. Blowing snow will limit visibility at times.