New Winter Storm Warnings Announced for 8 States as 20 Inches of Snow, 70 mph Winds Expected

The National Weather Service issued new winter storm warnings for eight states on Thursday, Feb. 19 as the West Coast continues to be pounded by a strong storm bringing several inches of rain and several feet of snow.

"In the West, another round of heavy snow in the Sierra is likely today, as well as coastal/low elevation rain and isolated thunderstorms for southern California. Snowfall totals of over 2 feet with isolated amounts of over 3 feet are possible by Friday morning. Some thunderstorms could produce damaging wind gusts in southern California today," the National Weather Service said.

Up to 20 Inches of Snow Sparks Warnings for 8 States

Alaska: Locations including Denali National Park, Anderson, Healy, Kantishna will see heavy snow with additional snow accumulations between 3 and 6 inches expected.

Arizona: The cities of Fredonia and Jacob Lake and along the Kaibob Plateau could see between two and 12 inches with winds gusting as high as 40 mph.

California: According to Accuweather, as of Wednesday, there has been just over 5 feet of snow over Donner Pass from the storm with snowfall totals over the past 72 hours as of early Thursday morning mainly between 55 and 70 inches in the northern and central Sierra Nevada. But more snow and heavy winds are on the way. Additional snow accumulations up to 3 feet are expected in the Sierra range while winds could gust as high as 70 mph.

Nebraska: Snow accumulations between four and eight inches are expected across most of the state with north winds gusting as high as 40 mph. The high winds will cause some blowing and drifting snow making travel in the region difficult.

Oregon: Cities of Bray, Tennant, Mount Shasta, McCloud, Dunsmuir, and Pondosa are expected to see additional snowfall accumulation of four to 12 inches, except up to 20 inches for the high terrain. Travel warnings are in effect for much of the state as travel may be very difficult to impossible, especially at higher elevations.

South Dakota: Campbell County is expected to see two to three inches of snow and those traveling in the region are warned to plan on slippery road conditions. "The combination of falling snow and winds will lead to periods of blowing snow that may briefly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact the Thursday morning commute," the National Weather Service said.

Utah: The Southern Mountains of Utah, including Alton and Brian Head, are expected to receive up to 18 inches of snow from Thursday afternoon into Friday. For Zion National Park, snowfall accumulations could reach up to 15 inches for elevations above 6000 feet. Meanwhile other locations like Joes Valley, Fish Lake, and Cove Fort are forecast to receive between nine and 15 inches of snow.

Wyoming: Lower elevations of Converse County including locations like Deer Creek, Douglas, Glenrock, and Bill will receive between four to eight inches of snow, sparking travel warnings. "Widespread blowing and drifting snow could significantly reduce visibility and lead to dangerous travel conditions," the National Weather Service warned.

Related: Netflix Quietly Cancels Show After Initially Approving 2nd Season