The current weather pattern across the United States can be compared to apancake about to be flipped. The West has been completely cooked, and now theEast will be flopped down on the grill. As the warmth vacates the West, colderair will come down from the north. The turn to colder will be most pronouncedacross the northern Rockies and Northwest.Thursday and Friday, snow will fall from Idaho across Montana andnorthwestern Wyoming. At ski resort elevations, snow accumulations will reach12 inches or more; lower elevations will get much less.

Story by AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist John Kocet.