Winter Weather Watch 2014-2015: Winter Storm Damon and More Sierra Snow This Week

Welcome to the Winter Weather Watch, your daily briefing on winter weather threats across the nation, by winter weather expert Tom Niziol. Bookmark this page and check back for regular updates through spring 2015.
Below is the latest forecast discussion from Tom Niziol, as well as links to jump to the latest forecast and current maps and our list of the 2014-2015 winter storm names. You can either scroll down the page, or click on these links to jump to your section of interest.
Winter Storm Damon Produces Variety of Winter Impacts Across the Northeast
Winter storm Damon will produce a variety of wintry weather across the Northeast through Thursday. This system does not have a lot of cold air to work with. So, rather than a mid-winter Nor'Easter that produces a major snow storm for New England, this system will have to work to get a snow storm anywhere. The best ways to get to cold air are to travel north into Upstate New York as an example, or to go up a few hundred feet in elevation. Significant snowfall will be limited to Upstate New York and parts of Western New England with the higher elevations of the Adirondacks, Catskills and Poconos seeing the bulk of the higher snowfall totals. This will also be a heavy, wet variety of snow so there is potential to see power outages where it snows the most from this storm. There will also be pockets of icing in portions of Interior New England where cold air stays locked in at the surface through this evening. Note, the snowfall actually is found as far west as Buffalo and could even affect Cleveland. That is due to the track this system will take, actually moving back toward the Northwest as it heads through New England and into the province of Quebec.
In addition to the wintry side, this systems produces strong winds along the New England coast through Wednesday morning and heavy rainfall. A variety of flood advisories are out for this region.
Major High Elevation Snowfall for the Sierra From Strong Pacific Storm Thursday Night Through Friday.
One of the strongest storms to impact California in a few years will produce a significant amount of rainfall in the Thursday through Friday time frame. Snow levels will start out quite high, above 8,000 feet Thursday but will drop to 6,000 feet Friday. The I-80 corridor goes through Donner Pass at 7200 feet so it is likely that there will be significant travel impacts developing across the Pass Friday. In advance of the snowfall winds will really get strong, gusting over 80 mph at Pass levels Wednesday into Thursday, further restricting travel.