Valley drivers, brace for heavy snow overnight and Wednesday

Roads in the Treasure Valley and beyond are likely to be snowy and slick overnight Tuesday and throughout Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

A warm front from the Pacific will push moisture into Southeast Oregon and Southwest Idaho, bringing heavy snow, the Weather Service reports. Two to 5 inches of new snow are expected in the Valley.

NWS upgraded a winter weather advisory in the Valley to a winter storm warning Tuesday night, which is scheduled to last through 11 p.m. Wednesday.

A projected snowfall map issued by the Weather Service on Tuesday morning shows 3.3 inches of snow falling in Boise between 5 p.m. Tuesday and through 5 a.m. Thursday. More snow is expected in Caldwell, about 4.5 inches, and Mountain Home, 4.4 inches, NWS reports. Emmett and Idaho City are each expected to get about 3 inches.

A more severe winter storm watch will be in effect for the same time period in the area falling south and east of the Treasure Valley, covering most of Owyhee County in Idaho’s southwest corner, as well as the southern portion of Twin Falls County. According to the NWS, there’s potential for 5 to 10 inches of snow to accumulate, with a chance for “significant” snow, sleet or ice accumulations on roadways. The projection for Twin Falls is 5 to 7 inches, with 6 to 9 inches in Jordan Valley, Ore.

Snow is expected to be particularly heavy near the Nevada border, with fewer inches of snow falling in northeast Oregon and the west-central Idaho mountains.

This story was originally published January 3, 2017 at 6:42 AM with the headline "Valley drivers, brace for heavy snow overnight and Wednesday."