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: 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
Tue Dec 26 2023
Valid 12Z Tue Dec 26 2023 – 12Z Thu Dec 28 2023…Significant winter storm with heavy snow, blizzard conditions, and
potentially damaging icing continues across portions of the north-central
U.S. through early Wednesday……Moderate to heavy rain for much of the East as the work week begins,
with potential flooding across portions of the southern and central
Appalachians……Precipitation chances pick back up across northern California and the
Pacific Northwest Wednesday..
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
A large, dynamic storm system over the central U.S. will continue to bring
impactful winter weather to portions of the north-central U.S. through
early Wednesday. Heavy snow continues this morning under a deep upper-low
as a long fetch of moisture moves northward ahead of a cold front pushing
eastward towards the East Coast and wraps back around a surface low over
the central Plains. The snow is expected to continue through Tuesday
evening, gradually tapering off Tuesday night through early Wednesday. The
highest additional totals of around 2-4″, locally 8″, are expected across
western South Dakota, western Nebraska, far eastern Wyoming, and
northeastern Colorado, with some lighter snow into the Middle Missouri
Valley. There is a high chance (70+%) that storm total snowfall will
exceed a foot for areas of south-central South Dakota and north-central
Nebraska. In addition, strong winds gusting upwards of 55 mph will lead to
blizzard conditions. The combination of heavy snow rates and white-out
conditions will make travel difficult to impossible. A significant
freezing rain event also continues from portions of northern/eastern South
Dakota into southern/eastern North Dakota. Ice accumulations of 0.25 to
0.5″, locally 0.75″, will lead to potentially significant tree damage and
power outages. A wintry mix will likely follow the surface low track into
the Middle Mississippi Valley Wednesday.Widespread showers and thunderstorms ahead of the cold front will spread
eastward from the Lower Great Lakes, Upper Ohio Valley, central/southern
Appalachians, and the Carolinas Tuesday into the Mid-Atlantic and New
England by Wednesday. Moderate to locally heavy rainfall is expected.
There is a higher potential for a few inches of rain along upslope
portions of the central/southern Appalachians Tuesday, and a Slight Risk
of Excessive Rainfall (level 2/4) is in effect as some scattered instances
of flash flooding are possible. An isolated instance or two of flash
flooding may also occur Wednesday across the Mid-Atlantic.Some light lower elevation/coastal rain and higher elevation snow showers
are forecast Tuesday for the Pacific Northwest and into the Northern
Rockies as a Pacific system weakens this morning. Another system will
approach the West Coast early Wednesday with precipitation chances quickly
ramping back up. Moderate to locally heavy rainfall is likely,
particularly for upslope favorable areas along the higher terrain of
northern California where snow levels will be high. Heavy snowfall should
be limited to higher mountain peaks. Some isolated flooding may occur.High temperatures will remain anomalously warm, upwards of 10-20 degrees
above average, from the Upper Midwest into the Great Lakes and interior
Northeast Tuesday and Wednesday. Many will see highs in the 40s and even
some low 50s. While not quite as anomalous, conditions will also remain
above average along the East Coast, with 50s for the Mid-Atlantic and 60s
in the Carolinas and Southeast. Temperatures will be cooler under the
influence of the upper-low over the central Plains, with mainly 30s and
40s. Highs will be around average from the Lower Mississippi Valley into
Texas with 50s and 60s forecast. The West will also be running a bit above
average, with highs in the 30s and 40s for the Great Basin, 50s and 60s in
the Pacific Northwest and California, and 60s and 70s in the Desert
Southwest.
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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