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In parts of California, the National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings and weather advisories early Monday, with snowfall forecast for several counties in the coming days.

Newsweek has mapped the parts of the Golden State that the NWS says will be most affected.

Why it matters

At a time when people are traveling to visit loved ones, the service said travel could be “very difficult to impossible” in some locations and that dangerous conditions in snowy regions could impact the morning commute.

What you should know

According to the NWS, a winter storm warning is issued “when a significant combination of hazardous winter weather is occurring or is imminent.”

According to the NWS, these include any combination of:

1. Five inches or more of snow/sleet within a 12-hour period or 7 inches or more of snow/sleet within a 24-hour period.
2. Enough ice accumulation to damage trees or power lines.
3. A life-threatening or damaging combination of snow and/or ice accumulation and wind.

Winter weather warnings are issued “when there is any amount of freezing rain or when 2 to 4 inches of snow (alone or in combination with sleet and freezing rain) is expected to cause significant inconvenience,” according to the NWS.

The service said isolated regions above 8,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada region could see up to 16 inches of snowfall Tuesday. Regions above 6,000 feet can see up to 10 inches.

Up to 12 inches was expected in the highest regions of Mono, Alpine, Placer and Nevada counties.

NWS data showed some parts of Sacramento and Plumas counties could expect up to 10 inches of snowfall. A total of 8 inches was forecast in Sierra County.

What people say

NWS wrote on its official website: “If you’re waiting for fresh snow until Christmas morning or are curious about possible travel disruptions, chances for at least an inch of new snow early this week are best across the mountainous West, Great Lakes and Northeast.”

“Otherwise, temperatures will average above normal across much of the lower 48 states during the last full week of December,” the NWS added.

What happens next

Many of the winter weather and storm warnings were in effect until 7 p.m. EST Tuesday, the NWS said.

When Christmas approaches, Newsweek We previously mapped which states could have a chance of a white Christmas and snow on Christmas Day.

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