Major winter storm brewing

A major winter storm was expected to slam the Southwest and the Plains on Saturday, and forecasters warned of dangerous blizzard conditions in the Rockies and icy roads from Kansas through the upper Midwest.

Flash floods were possible in Arizona and Nevada. Winter storm warnings were issued for the Rockies, while ice storm warnings were in effect for the southern Plains. Snow was forecast for the northern Plains, upper Midwest and Great Lakes.

A high pressure system in the eastern third of the country was expected to bring an end to lake effect snow in New England, while a low pressure system developing in the Northwest was forecast to drop rain and high elevation snow on Washington and Oregon. Up to 3 feet of snow was possible in the Cascades by the time the storm passes.

The northern half of the country was to be cold, as temperatures in the teens, 20s, and 30s were forecast from the Northwest through the Northeast. The Southeast was expected to rise into the 60s, 70s and some 80s.

Temperatures in the Lower 48 states on Friday ranged from a low of minus 22 degrees at Polebridge, Mont., to a high of 85 degrees at Harlingen, Texas.

(Because of technical problems, the AccuWeather weat her package was unavailable for this edition.

Brainerd area

Winter storm warning in effect until 6 a.m. Ssunday...

Today...Light snow likely in the morning...Then snow in the afternoon. Snow accumulation of 6 to 9 inches. Highs 18 to 23. Southeast winds 10 to 20 mph.

Tonight...Snow. Snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches. Total snow accumulation 10 to 14 inches. Lows 13 to 18. Northeast winds 10 to 20 mph becoming north 10 to 15 mph early in the morning.

Sunday...Cloudy with a 40 percent chance of light snow. Highs 20 to 25. Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph.

Sunday night...Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. Lows 2 to 7. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph.

Monday...Partly sunny. Highs 13 to 18. Southeast Brainerd winds 5 to 10 mph.

Monday night...Partly cloudy. Lows zero to 5 above zero.

Tuesday and tuesday night...Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of snow. Highs 13 to 18. Lows 1 below to 4 above zero.

Wednesday...Partly sunny with a 20 percent chance of snow. Highs 12 to 17.

Wednesday night through friday...Partly cloudy. Lows zero to 5 above zero. Highs 15 to 20.