Overview
- About 31 million people are under wind alerts from the Pacific Northwest through the Rockies, Plains, Midwest and into the Northeast, with widespread gusts of 40–60 mph and 60–80 mph in mountain zones, according to the National Weather Service.
- Flood watches remain in effect across parts of the Pacific Northwest through early Saturday as additional rain on saturated ground raises risks of river and creek flooding and landslides.
- Heavy mountain snow and blizzard conditions are impacting the Cascades and Northern Rockies, with whiteouts possible across portions of the Northern Plains and localized totals reaching 1–2 feet in ranges such as the Absarokas and Beartooths.
- From the Great Lakes to New England, forecasts call for a Friday pulse of heavy rain, peak gusts reaching 50–60 mph along some coasts, and a sharp temperature drop that flips rain to snow and triggers flash‑freeze and lake‑effect hazards.
- Local agencies highlight travel and infrastructure risks during the Friday commute window, including scattered power outages, brief street flooding from rain plus snowmelt, and rapidly icing roads as temperatures tumble through the afternoon and evening.