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 (up to four weeks) 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 after about 4 p.m. New York time but it is unlikely to have changed very much from the morning update. The images in this article automatically update.
Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
Thu Feb 06 2025
Valid 12Z Thu Feb 06 2025 – 12Z Sat Feb 08 2025…Winter storm to impact the Great Lakes, northern Mid-Atlantic and
Northeast with a combination of snow, sleet and freezing rain today……Next round of unsettled weather to enter the West today with the threat
of heavy rainfall/snows for California before snowfall chances spread
across the Northern Rockies and Northern Plains into Saturday……Record high temperatures are expected across much of the Southern U.S.
over the next few days…A winter storm currently impacting much of the Great Lakes, upper Ohio
Valley and northern Mid-Atlantic with light snow and a wintry mix is
forecast to continue today while quickly pushing into the Northeast. The
primary winter weather hazards are expected to be associated with freezing
rain as warm air aloft combined with stubborn cold at the surface leads to
an icy morning for many. Precipitation is likely to be coming to an end
across the Ohio Valley by sunrise, with freezing rain lingering across the
Mid-Atlantic and central Appalachians this morning. Meanwhile, snow is
expected to continue across the Great Lakes and shift into much of the
Northeast early today. Total ice accretion of up to a half inch is
possible across parts of eastern WV, western MD, far northern VA, and into
parts of south-central PA. This may lead to scattered power outages and
tree damage. Elsewhere, up to a quarter inch of ice is possible just
northwest of the I-95 corridor from Washington D.C. to Philadelphia, as
well as much of PA, northern OH, northern IN, and southern MI. This amount
of ice is capable of making untreated roadways treacherous. The snowfall
aspect of this storm will feature light amounts (generally under a couple
inches) across the Great Lakes outside of lake-effect snow in the eastern
U.P. of Michigan, with 2 to 5 inches expected throughout much of New
England. Much of the winter weather is anticipated to quickly end by this
evening and be followed by breezy westerly winds as a deepening low
pressure system swings across southeast Canada. In fact, strong winds have
prompted Blizzard Warnings today across the Keweenaw Peninsula of MI and
neighboring counties.The next storm system to enter the West Coast and eventually spread wintry
weather elsewhere throughout the Lower 48 is forecast to move onshore
later today. Initially, heavy coastal/lower elevation rain is expected
across CA with heavy snow likely into the Sierra Nevada, northern CA
ranges and southern OR. By Friday, the moderate to heavy snowfall located
just north of an associated area of low pressure shifts into the northern
Great Basin and northern Rockies. Total snowfall amounts over a foot are
expected across the higher terrain, with multiple feet of heavy snow
possible in the Sierra Nevada. By early this weekend the snowfall
potential enters the Northern Plains, where high probabilities (70-90%)
for at least 4 inches of snow stretches east-west from northern ND across
central MN, and into central WI. As the system continues to slide eastward
on Saturday night, wintry weather will quickly begin to impact much of the
Great Lakes, upper Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast. Freezing rain
is possible for southern areas similar to where the ongoing ice threat
exists today, with heavy snow (over 4 inches) most likely in the
Northeast. Be sure to check local forecasts for the latest updated
information.While winter storm systems cross the middle and northern U.S., much of the
South is forecast to remain quite warm. In fact, some areas could see
record breaking warmth continue through this weekend as highs into the 70s
and 80s stretch from the Southwest to the Southern Plains and much of the
Southeast. Dozens of stations across 13 states between Arizona and North
Carolina are currently forecast to break or tie daily high temperature
records. Meanwhile, the coldest air over the next few days will be
confined to the northern High Plains as highs remain in the single digits
and lows dip well below zero.
To get your local forecast plus active alerts and warnings click HERE and enter your city, state or zip code. If the Hazards Outlook is not updated click here but remember it does not update during the weekend.
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 Daily 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
We have a new animation of the forecast which shows how things may play out over the next 60 hours. To update click ANIMATION. Doing so will get you to the dashboard. You can then step through the animation or hit LOOP on the upper right of the display. You will have to hit the back arrow ← at the top left on your computer to get back into this article. It is a little more trouble than before but I think NOAA scrapped the animation routine I was using so we have to keep up with “progress”.
The NWS Climate Prediction Center’s: Watches, Warnings, and Advisories plus other information can be found HERE. That takes you to the NWC Severe Weather Site. From there you can select among many categories of information. Remember to hit the back arrow ← at the top left of your screen to return to 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
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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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. Note that unless there is an out-of-season storm the below images will not update until the National Hurricane Center starts their seasonal update of these maps on June 1. I include them simply because there can be an out-of-season event in which case it should show up in these maps.
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| I hope you found this article interesting and useful. |
