Unsettled weather continues in Northwest, cold spell to hit Northeast
The state of Washington continues to get hit with storms.
— -- Attention again falls on the Pacific Northwest Thursday as a series of storms are expected to bring heavy rain and snow to the area over the next few days.
The first storm is already moving into western Washington this morning, and it will reach Seattle later this morning into the afternoon.
A new larger storm system will begin to move into the western U.S. Friday and through the weekend.
The heaviest rain and snow with gusty winds will move in on Saturday from Washington to northern California.
Through the weekend, ABC News meteorologists are expecting several inches of rain for the coastal areas and the lower elevations from northern California through Washington, and heavy snow will be measured in feet for the Cascades and the northern Rockies.
Cold blast coming next week
The mild weather that most of the eastern U.S. has been having for the last few weeks will continue into this weekend and into early next week, before a shot of arctic air moves in from Canada.
Temperatures will be still near or above normal through the weekend from Chicago to New York City with highs in the 40s and 50s, and even 60s are not out of the question for some.
But by Tuesday and Wednesday, cold arctic air will begin to move into the northern Plains and the Great Lakes. By Wednesday evening into Thursday morning , the arctic air reaches the East Coast.