Up to 7 Feet of Snow and 70 MPH Winds in 12 States as National Weather Service Issues Winter Storm Warnings

The National Weather Service has issued a slew of winter storm warnings covering much of the western United States. Forecasters have predicted up to 7 feet of snow and 70 mph winds in the hardest hit areas, which will create blizzard conditions and widespread travel hazards.

Where 7 Feet of Snow and 70 MPH Winds Are Expected

On February 17, 2026, the National Weather Service (NWS) updated its dangerous weather page with many "urgent" winter storm warnings. Some of the most notable warnings revealed that many areas of the country are being slammed by truly extreme weather.

The highest forecasted snow accumulation in the February 17 warnings calls for between 5 and 7 feet of snow to arrive in the highest elevations of central California by 10 p.m. on February 19. Parts of Nevada and Utah were also forecast to receive feet of snow, while many of the other regions that were named in warnings would have several inches fall.

The NWS also cautioned that powerful wind gusts were predicted to strike many regions of America. Peaks of up to 70 mph were expected to slam parts of Nevada until 10 p.m. on February 18, Colorado until 11 p.m. on February 18, and California until 7 a.m. on February 20.

Most of the winter storm warnings predicted that the snowfall and wind gusts would make travel "very dangerous to impossible" between February 18 and February 20, due to poor visibility. Some of them also cautioned about powerful winds downing trees and resulting in possible power outages.

While the NWS's February 17 warnings revealed that California, Nevada, and Colorado would be the hardest hit, several other states were also predicted to be involved. Areas of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, and Utah were all explicitly named in the forecasts.

Advice for How to Protect Older Adults During Winter Storm Conditions

Men's Journal interviewed the Senior Director at ADT Health, Andrew Droney, who has more than 18 years of experience in the security and health monitoring industry. Based on his extensive experience in the business, he provided valuable advice about how to protect older loved ones during winter conditions.

Most notably, Droney pointed out that times of extreme winter storms can be very dangerous for older adults and explained how that can be mitigated. As a result, he recommended clearing home hazards, making sure seniors dress warmly, and checking in frequently during winter storms. He also pointed out that modern tech, including medical alert devices that have fall detection, can help loved ones monitor the safety of older adults from afar when conditions become dangerous.