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 highlights from the NWS.
Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
Sat Dec 30 2023
Valid 12Z Sat Dec 30 2023 – 12Z Mon Jan 01 2024…Moderate to locally heavy rainfall continues for the West Coast
Saturday; accumulating snowfall for the Sierras……Light wintry mix forecast for New England, the Appalachians, and
portions of the Midwest……Cooler temperatures and chilly morning lows for the Southeast…
Please click on “Read More” below to access the full report
| 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.
Continuation of the NWS Short Range Forecast. It is updated by NWS twice a day and these updates can be found here
An amplified upper-level trough and surface frontal system pushing onshore
along the West Coast will continue to bring some moderate to locally heavy
rainfall Saturday, with the highest amounts expected along the coast.
Higher elevations in the Sierra, generally above 6500 feet, will see
additional snow accumulations of 2-6″, locally above a foot. Some light
accumulations are also expected for higher elevations of the San
Bernardino and Riverside County mountains. A light wintry mix is possible
into portions of the Great Basin. Precipitation should come to an end for
the Pacific Northwest and northern California by Sunday morning but will
continue for southern California as another Pacific system approaches. In
addition, high surf and coastal flooding will remain a threat along the
central California coast through Saturday afternoon and southern
California through New Year’s Day as this second system approaches.
Forecast high temperatures across the West will generally be above
average, with 40s for the Rockies and Great Basin, 50s for the Pacific
Northwest, 50s and 60s for California, and 60s and 70s for the Desert
Southwest.A light wintry mix is expected for portions of New England Saturday with a
frontal system draped through the region, as well as southwestward through
the Appalachians as an upper-level low lingers overhead. Any accumulations
should remain limited, with perhaps an inch or so, most likely for
portions of northern Maine and the central Appalachians. To the west, a
clipper system dropping through the Upper Midwest will also bring a light
wintry mix Saturday, spreading southeastward through the Great Lakes and
into the Upper Ohio Valley/central Appalachians Sunday. Any accumulations
here should also remain limited to a dusting to 1″. Forecast high
temperatures across the region range in the 30s and 40s.Highs will remain below average Saturday for much of the Southeast
following a frontal passage and as the aforementioned upper low passes
overhead. Highs will mainly be in the 40s and low 50s inland, with mid- to
upper 50s along the northern Gulf Coast and north Florida, and 60s for
central and south Florida. Morning lows will drop to near or below
freezing for inland locations Sunday morning, and also for the Florida
Panhandle into north Florida. A Freeze Watch has been issued for portions
of southern Georgia and north Florida where sensitive vegetation may be
damaged or destroyed. Temperatures will rebound Sunday as the upper low
departs to the east, with highs into the upper 50s and 60s.Elsewhere, conditions will be dry for the Plains, with generally above
average temperatures Saturday. Forecast highs range in the 20s and 30s for
the Northern Plains, 40s and 50s for the Central Plains, and 50s and 60s
for the Southern Plains, with some 70s possible for south Texas. A cold
front will bring some cooler temperatures to the Central Plains Sunday,
with highs only reaching into the 30s.
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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