The week ahead will begin with strong winds in California giving way to a much-needed pattern change in the Southwest. Farther east, the nation's northern tier returns to its warm winter and there could be a soaking ahead for the South.

1. Strong Wind Event in California

Strong winds in parts of Northern and Southern California early this week could cause damage and raise the threat of spreading wildfires.

A low-pressure system will develop off the coast of southwest California by Tuesday. That low in combination with a high-pressure system over the Great Basin will cause strong winds to develop in the mountains, foothills and some valleys of Southern California. Parts of Northern California will also see strong winds from this setup.

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Wind gusts during this event could be strong enough to cause damage and power outages in some areas through Tuesday. The winds might also spread any wildfires that potentially develop in Southern California, even with elevated humidity levels.

For more details, see our full forecast at this link.

2. Needed Rain and Snow in California, Southwest

A change to the weather pattern is taking shape in the western U.S. and it will, finally, lead to some rain and snow for parts of California and the Four Corners region.

Both regions remain in the midst of a long-term, high-end drought.

More than half of the West, here defined as every state west of and including the Rockies states, is in an extreme drought. More than 22% of the West is in exceptional drought – the worst category.

But precipitation is on the way at least once through this weekend and possibly twice.

First, a low-pressure system is forecast to set up off the coast of southwest California by late Tuesday. That low should help funnel Pacific moisture northeastward toward the Southwest region.

Rain and snow totals will be generally light in the Southwest through Thursday, but any moisture is a welcome sight after such a dry stretch. Some higher snowfall totals are possible in the Colorado Rockies and northern New Mexico.

Even better, there could be one or more additional weather systems that move into the West Coast late this week into next weekend and early the following week.

That's because an even larger weather pattern change is expected to occur during that time with a southward plunge of the jet stream developing over the West. Details are uncertain, but this might allow for additional rounds of rain and mountain snow to dampen parts of California and the Southwest since this pattern change will open the door for a more active storm track.

3. Mild Winter Continues in the Northern Tier

Continuing the warm winter, temperatures are expected to climb once again toward the middle of the week.

Highs are expected to be 10 to 25 degrees above average from the northern Rockies to the Plains and Midwest.

Highs of 40s and 50s are expected Wednesday in the Plains, and the Great Lakes will see highs above freezing either Wednesday or Thursday.

This warmup will be brief since temperatures are forecast to return to near average late in the week.

(MORE: Weekly Planner)

4. Southern Rain Late Week

In the latter half of the week, the low-pressure system from the Southwest is expected to kick across the Rockies and then the South.

Rain showers might develop as early as Tuesday or Wednesday from parts of central and east Texas into the lower Mississippi Valley. A more widespread soaking is possible across the South late in the week.

Details for this forecast during the latter part of the week are uncertain at this time. But locally heavy rainfall cannot be ruled out in some portion of the region.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.