Shawdesh Desk:

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a slew of winter storm warnings expected to hit just before Christmas.

Parts of Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico have all been given weekend weather warnings with travel expected to be difficult due to heavy snow and gusts arriving on Saturday and Sunday, potentially throwing travel plans into chaos.

Alaska is unsurprisingly expecting heavy snowfall for this time of year, with the NWS forecasting “a area of surface low pressure” to track north towards south-central Alaska, which is then expected to “swing south to north” over the panhandle. The NWS warns that heavy snow is expected, with as much as 20 inches expected to fall across Skagway, White Pass, and Haines. The warning starts at 6 a.m. local time on Saturday and is currently expected to last until 6 a.m. on Sunday.

Those in and around the Lower Yukon and Innoko Valleys, particularly around Grayling, Holy Cross, Shageluk, and Anvik, can also expect snow storms throughout Saturday and into Sunday morning as temperatures become bitterly cold. Heavy snow is expected and travel through the areas is again expected to be “difficult or impossible”. The NWS has warned that temperatures of minus 35 degrees Fahrenheit could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.

New Mexicans can also expect similar white-out conditions, with travel expected to be “difficult or impossible” in parts of the state. Anywhere between six to 20 inches of snow is forecast to fall along the northern and southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the Tusas Mountains including Chama, and the Jemez Mountains. The heaviest snowfall is expected in the higher altitudes.

Overnight in Colorado, heavy snow and wind gusts of up to 35 miles per hour are expected in the eastern San Juan Mountains until 5 a.m. on Sunday. A separate warning the the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains is also in place, with a maximum of 12 inches expected to fall particularly in elevated areas until 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Travel is also expected to be difficult or impossible, with travelers warned to keep a flashlight, food and water in their vehicle in case of emergency.

In Arizona, Greer and the surrounding areas are expected to be hit with snow accumulations of eight to 24 inches, particularly in elevated areas, with Alpine, Pinetop-Lakeside, Show Low, and Whiteriver likely to be the worst affected. Drivers are being warned of poor visibility due to blowing snow and heavy precipitation likely until 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Those in and around Buffalo Pass, Ganado, and Window Rock can also expect heavy snowfall, with around five to 10 inches of snow expected in the northeastern areas of the state until 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Newsweek has contacted the National Weather Service for comment via email.