It is difficult to find a more comprehensive Weather Outlook anywhere else with the ability to get a local 10-day Forecast also.
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 U.S. outlooks and a six-day World weather outlook which can be very useful for travelers.
First the NWS Short Range Forecast. The afternoon NWS text update can be found here but it is unlikely to have changed very much. The images in this article automatically update.
Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
334 AM EST Fri Mar 01 2024Valid 12Z Fri Mar 01 2024 – 12Z Sun Mar 03 2024
…Winter storm brings heavy higher elevation mountain snow, widespread
damaging winds, and cold temperatures to much of the West……Powerful blizzard in the Sierra Nevada through this weekend…
…Widespread showers and thunderstorms across portions of the Southeast
and Mid-Atlantic Friday……Much above average, Spring-like temperatures for the Plains and Midwest
once again heading into the weekend; Critical Fire Weather threat for the
central/southern High Plains Saturday...A significant winter storm will impact much of the West heading into the
weekend, including dangerous, blizzard conditions for the Sierra Nevada.
An upper-level trough over the northeastern Pacific digging slowly
southward and inland over the West Coast will allow for a multi-day influx
of moisture from the Pacific/Atmospheric River as colder air spreads
southward. This will bring heavy snowfall to many of the higher elevation
mountain ranges across the Pacific Northwest, northern/central California,
the northern/central Rockies, and Great Basin, following a general
southward trend each day Friday and Saturday. Snow totals locally as much
as 12″+ are forecast through Sunday morning. In addition, widespread
damaging wind gusts of 55+ mph are forecast across much of the region,
with even stronger gusts of 75+ mph for higher elevations, leading to the
risk of downed trees and power lines. The most intense combination of snow
and wind will come together over the Sierra Nevada, where a powerful
blizzard is expected. Extreme snowfall totals of 5-12 feet (locally even
higher) are forecast through the weekend, with high snow rates and winds
leading to blowing/drifting snow and whiteout conditions, making travel
impossible. For lower elevations, the system will bring moderate to heavy
rainfall to coastal locations, with a mix of light to moderate rain/snow
for interior locations, though any accumulations should remain limited.
Some light snow may spread into portions of the northern High Plains
Saturday as the system continues east. The weather system will also usher
in cooler, below average temperatures, with highs generally in the 30s and
40s for the Pacific Northwest, northern California, northern Rockies, and
Great Basin, with 50s in central California and 60s into southern
California.To the East, lift ahead of a shortwave moving eastward from the
Mississippi Valley towards the East Coast as well as Gulf moisture flowing
northward over a quasi-stationary boundary draped along the Gulf Coast
will bring widespread showers and thunderstorms across much of the
Southeast Friday. Some locally heavy downpours are possible, especially in
vicinity of the boundary along the central Gulf Coast and along the
Carolina coast. The boundary is forecast to lift northward along the East
Coast as the upper-level shortwave approaches, spreading rain chances into
the Mid-Atlantic overnight Friday and New England during the day Saturday,
with some locally heavy showers most likely once again for coastal
locations in vicinity of the boundary. Showers and storms will also linger
across portions of the coastal Southeast into north Florida and the
Florida Panhandle.Much above average, Spring-like high temperatures are once again expected
across much of the Plains and Midwest heading into the Weekend. The
greatest anomalies are forecast for the northern Plains Friday and the
central Plains into the Upper Mississippi Valley Saturday where highs will
be upwards of 25-35 degrees above normal, reaching into the 60s and 70s.
Elsewhere, highs will be in the 40s and 50s in the Great Lakes. Highs
Saturday will warm into the 60s and 70s for the Middle/Lower Mississippi
Valley, with 80s returning to Texas. The warm temperatures as well as dry
conditions and some gustier winds along the central/southern High Plains
will bring the risk for wildfires this weekend, with the Storm Prediction
Center introducing a Critical Fire Weather outlook (level 2/3) for
Saturday. After a chilly day Friday in the Southeast, with highs generally
in the 40s and 50s, temperatures will quickly warm back up to average to
slightly above average levels Saturday, with highs in the 60s and low 70s.
Temperatures will also rebound for much of New England, warming from the
20s and 30s Friday into the 40s Saturday. Conditions will remain near to
above average in the Mid-Atlantic, with 40s and 50s expected.
To get your local forecast plus active alerts and warnings click HERE and enter your city, state or zip code.
Above is a 72 hour animation of the forecast. Learn about wave patterns HERE.
Then, looking at the world and of course, the U.S. shows here also. Today we are looking at precipitation.
Please click on “Read More” below to access the full report issued today.
| Notices: What would you like to learn about? Please provide that to me via the comment section at the end of the article. |
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.
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, here, 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. These links may also be useful for those viewing this article on a cell phone or other small screen.
| 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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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 [that website is has been intermittent so be patient]
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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