ROCKIES BRACE FOR ARCTIC COLD, BUT CALIFORNIA LIKELY TO BE SPARED December
8, 2000 The Arctic cold outbreak which is moving out of
Canada and Alaska is expected to reach Montana and Wyoming this
weekend, bringing dangerously cold temperatures, according to
NOAA's National Weather Service.
Widespread areas of snow and icy precipitation will potentially
move into the Plateau, Rockies and northern and central Great
Plains early next week, creating dangerous Meanwhile, the cold air system which is expected to reach California and Arizona between Dec. 13th and 15th, could produce temperatures around 4 to 8 degrees below normal. Citizens should stay in touch with their local National Weather Service offices for area-specific data. California officials are concerned about the impact of weather conditions on the power supply, as the state has experienced serious power shortages. On Dec. 7th, state officials declared the first stage three alert in California's history. Stage three is initiated if an operating reserve shortfall of less than one-and-a-half percent is unavoidable, and can mean involuntary curtailments of service to customers, including "rotating blackouts," during the emergency declaration. Relevant Web Sites Current
winter storm watches, warnings and temperatures across the United
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