When will the unsettled pattern in the western US come to an end?

By Renee Duff, AccuWeather meteorologist

The western United States will face rain, snow and another cold blast before a welcome dry break arrives later this week.

The same storm poised to unleash travel-snarling snow from Colorado to North Dakota and an outbreak of severe weather across the South Central states will first dampen the Southwest.

Rain and a few thunderstorms will move through Southern California, into Tuesday morning, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jack Boston.

Small hail is possible in any heavier showers or thunderstorms that erupt.

"Isolated stronger thunderstorms with hail and damaging winds can also erupt across New Mexico," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyson Hoegg.

There can be a period of snow and slippery travel in the high terrain above 3,000 feet in Southern California. Travelers through the Grapevine corridor of Interstate 5 should remain wary of this threat.

"Rain and mountain snow will move through the Four Corners region Monday night through Tuesday," Boston said.

The rain can put a damper on Major League Baseball (MLB) spring training games in Arizona's Cactus League. Some games on Tuesday may be canceled due to weather conditions.

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Those traveling through the area on stretches of interstates 10, 17, 25 and 40 can face downpours that reduce visibility and increase the risk of hydroplaning when traveling at highway speeds.

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Isolated thunderstorms with small hail can rumble through Arizona on Tuesday. Eastern portions of New Mexico will face the greatest severe weather risk this day.

It is not out of the question for localized flash flooding to occur in any heavier shower or storm.

"A weaker system will also bring some rain and mountain snow through the Pacific Northwest into the northern Rockies Monday night and Tuesday," Boston said.

While all rain is in store with this storm from Seattle to Portland, Oregon, a burst of heavy snowfall can lead to difficult travel across the Cascades and northern Rockies.

Travelers over I-5's Siskiyou Summit in Oregon and I-90's Snoqualmie Pass in Washington should be wary of slippery, snow-packed roads.

A plowable snow is forecast for the Spokane, Washington, area, with the potential for disruptions to daily routines on Tuesday.

The snow and an accompanying push of cold air will plunge into Salt Lake City, Utah, prior to midweek, perhaps leading to a slippery Wednesday morning commute.

Snow will also ramp up across the Rockies around midweek as a blizzard unfolds across the High Plains.

Cold air will funnel southward across the interior West at midweek, sending temperatures 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit below mid-March normals. Average highs range from 48 in Billings, Montana, to 60 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and 70 in Las Vegas.

Beyond midweek, a lasting break in the storms is expected.

This photo provided by the California Highway Patrol Truckee Division shows a patrol vehicle navigating a stretch of Interstate 80 in the Donner Pass area of the Sierra Nevada, just west of Truckee, Calif., that remained closed Wednesday morning, Feb. 27, 2019. (California Highway Patrol via AP)

There will be a complete break in storminess in the Western states beginning late this week with little, if any, precipitation expected into next week, according to Boston.

Spring weather fans will also be happy to hear that milder air will accompany the drier pattern beginning this weekend.