‘ Potentially historic’ storm strikes several states

Up to 2 feet of snow possible in Northern Tier

A “potentially historic” winter storm will slam the north- central USA over the next few days with up to 2 feet of snow possible in some areas.

Snow will accumulate from eastern Washington and Montana to Colorado, the Dakotas, Minnesota and northern Wisconsin, the Weather Channel said. Record low temperatures are also possible Thursday and Friday across the western USA.

The system will produce severe storms and heavy rain Thursday in the southern Plains and critical- to- extreme fire weather threats from the central and southern Rockies to California, the National Weather Service said.

The size and intensity of this snowstorm are unheard of for October, according to AccuWeather.

In Spokane, Washington, wet, heavy snow snapped tree branches and took out power lines. Avista Utilities was restoring power to 32,000 customers on Wednesday.

Driving conditions are deteriorating in Montana and northern Wyoming as ice and snow covered roadways.

A slew of winter storm warnings, watches and freeze warnings were in effect across parts of seven states as the storm ramped up Wednesday, AccuWeather said.

Travel disruptions, tree damage and power outages will be possible where the heaviest snow occurs, the weather service in Grand Forks, North Dakota, warned.

Denver and Minneapolis could see their first snow of the season, the Weather Channel said.

The storm will have two parts, the first of which is targeting the northern and central Rockies and High Plains into Thursday. The second part will bring snow to the eastern and central portions of the Dakotas and western Minnesota by week’s end.

The weather service called it a “potentially historic October winter storm.”

MATT VOLZ/ AP People clear the sidewalk Wednesday after a fall snowstorm in Helena, Mont.