■Light rain is in the Monday forecast.

■Heavy snow is expected in the Sierra starting Thursday night.

■Unusually warm temperatures create fire danger in the U.S. Midwest.

You can expect light rain at some point today ahead of what should be a major storm for Fresno beginning late Thursday, the National Weather Service in Hanford says.

“Winter Storm Watch issued for Yosemite Valley and Sierra Foothills late Friday night through Sunday evening. Snow levels 3,000 – 4,000 feet on Saturday. Snow levels fall to around 1,500 feet Sunday morning. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 2 feet possible above 2,500 feet,” NWS said Monday afternoon on X.

Winter Storm Watch issued for Yosemite Valley and Sierra Foothills late Friday night through Sunday evening. Snow levels 3,000 – 4,000 feet on Saturday. Snow levels fall to around 1,500 feet Sunday morning. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 2 feet possible above 2,500 feet. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/ZB890SSvmW

— NWS Hanford (@NWSHanford) February 26, 2024

In addition, Colin McCarthy of U.S. Storm Watch says, “March will roar in like a lion in California, with possibly the largest Sierra Nevada snowstorm of the winter starting around next Friday, as a cold, multi-day storm moves in. We will be measuring snow in feet, with this storm potentially pushing the Sierra snowpack towards 100% of normal. Stay tuned.”

March will roar in like a lion in California, with possibly the largest Sierra Nevada snowstorm of the winter starting around next Friday, as a cold, multi-day storm moves in.

We will be measuring snow in feet, with this storm potentially pushing the Sierra snowpack towards 100%… pic.twitter.com/4Q3cGFlAQ4

— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) February 24, 2024

We have been monitoring the chance for a significant storm Thurs-Sun this week. There is still time for the forecast to change but we’re currently expecting 6-9 FEET of #snow with most falling Fri into Sat morning.

We will post forecast updates as they occur.#CAwx #CAwater pic.twitter.com/VaXLq4mNYz

— UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab (@UCB_CSSL) February 26, 2024

Fresno weather will be sunny with highs in the low 60s to high 60s Tuesday through Thursday, according to the NWS forecast.

Unusual Weather Across the US

A powerful winter storm is expected to dump several feet of snow in the Oregon Cascades and Northern Rockies beginning today. Meanwhile, much of the central U.S. is basking in unseasonably warm conditions. Strong winds are also raising the potential for fires in several states.

The National Weather Service said Monday that parts of the Oregon Cascades and Northern Rockies will see near-blizzard conditions with one to two inches of snow an hour and winds reaching upwards of 65 mph.

The storm is expected to move into the Great Basin and Central Rockies Tuesday, carrying much colder temperatures and strong winds across the inner mountain West, said Andrew Orrison, an NWS in College Park, Maryland.

Warm Conditions in the Heartland

Chicago and other Midwest cities are getting an early taste of summer. Over the weekend, temperatures hit the 60s in Denver, Chicago, and Des Moines, Iowa. Kansas City enjoyed temperatures in the mid-70s.

These unexpectedly warm temperatures are bringing an increased risk of fires across the Great Plains.

NWS said dry, gusty winds were creating what it called critical fire weather conditions, and issued red flag warnings and fire weather watches in parts of New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, up to Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and east to Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri.

Nearby states, including parts of Arkansas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, were under hazardous weather outlooks because of an increased fire danger, according to weather service maps.

(Associated Press contributed to this story.)