Raindrops, mountain snow, and isolated dangerous thunderstorms will be on the weather menu for the first Sunday in March over the West Coast and southern Plains. A spring-like preview will be sandwiched between fall and even frigid temperatures on each coast.
Heavy snow showers will be squeeze out across the Sierra Nevada and Klamath Mountain Ranges, with more than a foot forecast piling up across the taller peaks and mountains in central Nevada. Outside of a plowable snow, lesser totals will fall in the ranges, and light to moderate rain in addition to a few thunderstorms will rumble along the West Coast.
Meanwhile, a second area of low pressure will produce isolated morning drizzle, flurries, and possibly a wintry mix across parts of the Four Corners this morning. As it migrates into the southern Plains this afternoon and evening, downpours and isolated thunderstorms will develop from far southwestern Kansas to northern Texas. A few thunderstorms could be strong to severe, delivering an isolated tornado in addition to gusty winds and large hail.
In contrast, the remainder of the southern U.S., Midwest, and northern Plains will all avoid troubling weather to end the weekend.
Cold temperatures invade everywhere but the Mississippi Valley to the interior West today. Highs will range from the upper 30s and 40s to middle 50s near the U.S.-Canada border, to the upper 70s and middle to upper 80s near the U.S.-Mexico border, including Texas.
The Eastern U.S. will return to very cold weather, with much of New England and parts of the northern Mid-Atlantic not climbing out of the teens, 20s, and lower 30s today. Farther south and west, chilly 30s and 40s in the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley will warm to the near seasonable 60s, 70s, and a few 80-degree readings across central and southern Florida. A similar chilly weather pattern will blanket the Northwest to southern California. Here, 40s, 50s, and 60s will be common, although the tallest peaks will stay in the 20s and 30s.