Even if better weather started to arrive for the eastern and middle United States on Christmas Day, the West will probably face an intensifying winter storm. A strong Pacific winter storm was headed for the Rockies Tuesday night and the Plains Friday. Snowfall of 12 to 24 inches fell on California's Sierra Nevada and a similar amount was expected in Utah and the Colorado Rockies late Thursday into Friday morning.

Furthermore, the snowfall might be accompanied by strong winds causing white-out conditions. A state of emergency was in effect in Washington state, where snow was giving way to rain and the threat of flood. As for the southern and central Plains, temperatures were expected to be about 10 degrees above normal, with possible record-breaking warmth expected in the Ohio Valley and the Washington-Baltimore area through Saturday.

The winter storm warning are in effect for parts of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and the western Dakotas. In addition, a blizzard warning covers the mountains of southwest Colorado, as up to 20 inches of snow is forecast in the parts of the Rockies.

In Indiana, the full length of the Indiana Toll Road, more than 150 miles, was shut down for about two hours due to ice, while in Chicago, the Eisenhower Expressway was closed for some time because of the ice. Indiana and Illinois are bracing for heavy rain that could lead to flooding.

Gov. Christine Gregoire declared a state of emergency in Washington in order to make National Guard troops available if they're needed. It remains to be seen if the meteorologists' warning will become reality.