Next Week's Major Storm, Updated 5:20pm CST

A major winter storm will affect the United States next week and it is likely to complete the meteorological pattern change: not only will we will see snow, the coldest air of the season is likely to move south from Canada and the Arctic. For businesses, preparations will be important. 

Update at bottom. 

The Pending Cold Wave

Before we discuss the snow, here is a forecast temperature map for Friday morning. Greenish colors are temperatures below zero. 

Please keep in mind these are temperatures and not wind chills. 

Next Week's Snow

We've already posted on snow Storm #1 in central U.S. here, and in the Northeast, here. 

The forecasts below pertain to Storm #2. 

The first area where we expect problems is along Interstate 80 over the Sierra where amounts of 16 to 22 inches are forecast to fall. 

The storm will tap moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and cause a band of heavy snow from the central Great Plains toward the Great Lakes. 

Once the accumulated snow in in place, the cold air will plunge south dropping temperatures to below zero values in some area. 

Important Addition: The National Weather Service is using the "B-word" [blizzard] with regard to the storm when it is in the central Great Plains the first of the week. I am not quite ready to go there yet, hut it is certainly possible. With that in mind, please be proactive and make your plans around these weather forecasts.