US forecasters see possible first snowflakes as cold air arrives
The gist
AccuWeather forecasts cooler conditions later this week and potential first snowfall of the season for many locations.
Forecasters say the storm's track will decide who sees snow, rain or a mix.
How it unfolded
- Nov 4, 2026Snow-Forecast.com issues a forecast for Val d'Isere in France (mid-mountain, 2,700 m), projecting a moderate three-day snowfall, heaviest Thursday night, with temperatures between -1°C and -5°C.
- Nov 5, 2026WSET meteorologist George Flickinger issues his Winter Weather Outlook 2026-2027 for Virginia, citing a strong El Niño and a drought running since summer 2025.
- Nov 7, 2026WXII 12 reports that moderate to strong El Niño events correlate with one to three inches of additional snowfall for the Piedmont Triad, with larger anomalies in the mountains, but that strong El Niño years average 6 to 7 with below-normal snowfall.
Key terms
- El Niño
- The cooling phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, marked by below-normal sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific.
- lake-effect snow
- Weather produced when cold air moves over warmer lake water, picking up moisture that falls as precipitation downwind.
- clipper-type system
- A fast-moving low-pressure weather system originating near Alberta, Canada, that tracks southeast across southern Canada and the northern United States.
Source: Wikipedia