This article focuses on what we are paying attention to in the next 48 to 72 hours. The article also includes weather maps for longer-term outlooks and a six-day World weather outlook which can be very useful for travelers.
We start with the U.S. Information. That is the longest part of the article. Then we have a short section on World Weather and then we address the Tropics. When there are tropical storms that might impact the U.S. we provide more detailed information which updates frequently on those storms.
Please click on “Read More” below to access the full report as I have moved the highlights into the body of the report where it is followed by the Today, Tomorrow and the Next Day maps and a lot more. I will try to feature the most important graphic in the lede paragraph on the home page. But there are often multiple maps that are very important so it is best to read the full article. We now have a snow report and it is possible to get a ten-day NWS forecast for the zip code of your choice.
| Notices: We recently published a review of October weather worldwide and you can access that article HERE. And a review of October weather for the U.S. which you can access HERE. We have now published the NOAA Seasonal Update which you can access HERE. This was followed up with the update of the Mid-December Outlook which you can access HERE. What would you like to learn about? Please provide that to me via the comment section at the end of the article. |
First the highlights from the NWS.
Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
Thu Dec 21 2023
Valid 12Z Thu Dec 21 2023 – 12Z Sat Dec 23 2023…There is a Moderate Risk of excessive rainfall over parts of Southern
California on Thursday…… There is a Slight Risk of excessive rainfall over parts of Southern
California and the Southwest on Friday……Light to moderate snow over the Cascades/Northern Intermountain
Region/Central Rockies and snow at the higher elevations over parts of the
Southwest, Great Basin, and Southern Rockies on Friday…
Now more detail on the 48-Hour Forecast (It is a 48 to 72 Hour Forecast actually)
Daily weather maps. The Day 1 map updates twice a day and the Day 2 and 3 maps update only once a day. These maps update automatically. But if that does not happen, you can get updates by clicking HERE
TODAY (or late in the day the evening/overnight map will appear) (Key to surface fronts shown on maps and you will then also be able to insert a city name or zip code and get a local NWS forecast).
TOMORROW
NEXT DAY
This animation shows how things may play out over the next 60 hours. To update click here.
The NWS Climate Prediction Center’s: Watches, Warnings, and Advisories plus other information can be found HERE. We post at least one of those updates daily, sometimes both. The Highlights are shown in the lede paragraph of this article.
ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS
This tells us what is approaching the West Coast. Click HERE to update If I have not gotten around to doing the update. Here is some useful information about Atmospheric Rivers.
Continuation of the NWS Short Range Forecast. It is updated by NWS twice a day and these updates can be found here
An upper-level off the Southern California Coast will slowly move
southward over the Pacific before moving inland over the Southwest and
Northwestern Mexico by Saturday. The low will stream moisture into
Southern California, creating heavy rain. Therefore, the WPC has issued a
Moderate Risk of excessive rainfall over parts of Southern California
through Friday morning. The associated heavy rain will create numerous
areas of flash flooding with narrow canyons/gullies and burn scars the
most vulnerable. Furthermore, many streams may flood, potentially
affecting larger rivers. In addition, thunderstorms will develop closer to
the southern border.On Friday, as the upper-level low begins to move onshore, heavy rain will
start to move into the Southwest while continuing over parts of Southern
California. Therefore, the WPC has issued a Slight Risk of excessive
rainfall over parts of Southern California and the Southwest from Friday
into Saturday morning. The associated heavy rain will create mainly
localized areas of flash flooding, with urban areas, roads, small streams,
narrow canyons/gullies, and burn scars the most vulnerable.Meanwhile, a front over the Eastern Pacific moves onshore over the Pacific
Northwest on Friday and then to the Northern High Plains by Saturday. The
system will produce rain and higher-elevation snow over parts of the
Northwest. Overnight Friday into Saturday, snow will develop over parts of
the Northern Intermountain Region. Moreover, overnight Friday, snow will
develop over parts of the higher elevations of the Southwest and
Central/Southern Rockies.Furthermore, the circulation around the area of high pressure over the
Southeast/Mid-Atlantic will produce return flow off the Gulf of Mexico
that will slowly moisten the air over the Central/Southern Plains
northward to the Great Lakes. Light rain will develop over parts of the
Western Gulf Coast and gradually expand northward over the
Central/Southern Plains by Thursday evening. Overnight Thursday into
Friday, the rain will move/expand into parts of the Middle/Lower
Mississippi Valley and parts of the Great Lakes. Rain will extend from the
Great Lakes to the Central Gulf Coast by Saturday.
Learn about wave patterns HERE.
Below is the current five-day cumulative forecast of precipitation (Updates can be found HERE)
Ski SnowReports
New Feature – Ski Reports. It is difficult to find reports that auto-update on-screen (and they are very long) but these links will get you to them – If you have additional suggestions make them in the comments section after every Econcurrents Article and we may add those links. We will try to not have too much overlap as that can add to the confusion.
Snow Forecasts. And remember this shows natural snow. Ski resorts also make their own snow.
Day 1
Day 2
Additional snow information can be found here and here. The second link provides animations.
Now we look at Intermediate-Term “Outlook” maps for three time periods. Days 6 – 10, Days 8 – 14, and Weeks 3 and 4. An outlook differs from a forecast based on how NOAA uses these terms in that an “outlook” presents information as deviation from normal and the likelihood of these deviations.
Below are the links to obtain updates and additional information. They are particularly useful if you happen to be reading this article significantly later than when it was published. I always try to provide readers with the source of the information in my articles.
| Days 6 – 10 (shown in Row 1) | Days 8 – 14 (Shown in Row 2) | Weeks 3 and 4 (Shown in Row 3 but updates only on Fridays) |
| https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa. gov/products/predictions/610day/ | https://www.cpc.ncep .noaa.gov/products/predictions/814day/ | https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/WK34/ |
Showing the actual maps. They should now update automatically. The Week 3 – 4 Outlook only updates on Fridays. So below is what I call the Intermediate-term outlook. On Fridays, it extends out 28 Days. That declines day by day so on Thursday it only looks out 22 days until the next day when the Week 3 – 4 Outlook is updated and this extends the outlook by one additional week.
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10
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| 8–
14 |
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4 |
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HAZARDS OUTLOOKS
Click here for the latest complete Day 3 -7 Hazards forecast which updates only on weekdays. Once a week probably Monday or Tuesday I will update the images. I provided the link for readers to get daily updates on weekdays. Use your own judgment to decide if you need to update these images. I update almost all the images Friday Night for the weekend edition of this Weather Report. So normally readers do not need to update these images but if the weather is changing quickly you may want to.
Temperature month to date can be found at https://hprcc.unl.edu/products/maps/acis/MonthTDeptUS.png
Precipitation month to date can be found at https://hprcc.unl.edu/products/maps/acis /MonthPNormUS.png
World Forecast
Below are the Day 1 -3 and 4-6 forecasts for temperature and precipitation. Updates and much additional information can be obtained HERE
World Temperature Anomalies
World Accumulated Precipitation
This information is provided by the University of Maine. They draw upon many different sources. There is a lot of information available at the link provided. I have just provided two useful forecasts. There are probably over a hundred different forecasts available from this source.
Worldwide Tropical Forecast (This is a NOAA Product)
This graphic updates on Tuesdays) If it has not been updated, you can get the update by clicking here Readers will only have to do that if they are reading this article much later than the date of it being published.
Information on Tropical Storms can be found HERE. Western Pacific information can be found HERE.
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| I hope you found this article interesting and useful. |
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