Heavy Snow Risk Looms for Pacific Coast Mountains
NOAA's updated hazards outlook map flags a moderate risk of heavy snow and rain in parts of California and Oregon on November 14 and 15, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Forecasts
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NOAA's Climate Prediction Center published its US Hazards Outlook Map on November 6, 2026, covering November 14 to 20. A potent moisture surge is forecast to reach the Pacific Northwest and northern and central California around November 14.
Why it matters
Heavy snow at high elevations and strong coastal winds could affect travel and mountain communities in the West during the coming week. The forecast may shift over the next one to two weeks, so residents should watch updated outlooks.
The Climate Prediction Center's outlook is a risk-category forecast, not a snowfall total, and it defines heavy snow as four or more inches in 12 hours or six or more inches in 24 hours. Actual accumulations remain unknown and depend on how the storm tracks as it moves inland.
The players
NOAA Climate Prediction Center
The federal center within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that issues the national hazards outlooks used to communicate multi-day weather risks to the public.
The details
A moisture surge is forecast to reach the Pacific Northwest and northern and central California around November 14, with a moderate risk of heavy rain and snow in southwest Oregon and northern and central California on November 14 and 15. The storm is expected to weaken as it moves inland, potentially bringing more rain to the already waterlogged Southwest.
Timeline
November 6, 2026: NOAA publishes the US Hazards Outlook Map.
November 14 and 15, 2026: Possible heavy snow at high elevations in the Klamath and Sierra Nevada Mountains.
November 14 to 17, 2026: Slight risk of heavy snow across the Cascades and parts of the Intermountain West and Rockies.
November 14 to 20, 2026: Period covered by the outlook map.
Seasonal Patterns
Mid-November outlooks issued by the NOAA Climate Prediction Center often weigh early-season Pacific storms against the seasonal snowpack that builds in the Sierra Nevada and Cascades. This week's map fits that pattern while also showing above-normal temperatures across most of the country.
Drivers planning mountain travel in California, Oregon and Nevada should check road conditions before November 14 and carry winter equipment. Residents in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California should monitor updated forecasts for changing snow and wind risks.
The takeaway
Mountain travelers and outdoor workers in the West should watch for updated forecasts this week, since the storm's track and snow totals could shift before November 14.
What happens next
NOAA's outlook for November 14 to 20 is expected to be updated as the storm approaches, and the forecast could change over the next one to two weeks.
Further reading
Track the latest national outlooks in Forecasts.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hindustan Times.
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