What Parts of the U.S. Have Already Recorded Snow?

It was a chilly weekend for much of the U.S., thanks to the lingering effects of a cross-country storm system that impacted millions of Americans over the last several days. While most of the precipitation that has come down over the last week has fallen as rain, some isolated parts of the country have already picked up their first snowfall of the year. Here is a closer look at where the flakes have already begun to fly in the U.S.

Western U.S. Has Seen Most Snow This Early Season

A federal weather map from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicates that a large swath of the western U.S. has seen significant snowfall in the early part of the year. As is typical, the higher elevations of the northern Rockies and the Sierra Nevada have seen the greatest concentration of snow by the middle of October. This is a common occurrence, as the mountainous region of the West is generally the first part of the nation to pick up measurable snow each year.

The Washington Cascade Mountains saw their first measurable snow of the season last week. The mountain range was under the gun for the wintry precipitation when the cross-country storm moved in from the Pacific Ocean and partnered with an infusion of cooler temperatures in the higher elevations of the Northwest.