Weather Outlook for the U.S. for Today Through at Least 22 Days and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: – Posted on January 4, 2025

January 4, 2025Posted inweatherNo Comments

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
Sat Jan 04 2025
Valid 12Z Sat Jan 04 2025 – 12Z Mon Jan 06 2025

…Heavy snow from the Central Plains to the Ohio Valley on Sunday; Heavy
lake-effect snow downwind from Lake Ontario on Saturday…

…Moderate to heavy snow from the Northern High Plains to the Central
Plains on Saturday; 0.25 inches of freezing rain over parts of the Middle
Mississippi/Ohio Valley on Sunday…

…There is an Enhanced Risk (level 2/5) of severe thunderstorms over
parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley on Sunday…

On Saturday, low pressure over the Southern High Plains will move eastward
to the Ohio Valley by Monday. The storm will create disruptive winter
weather from Saturday to Monday. The major winter storm will bring
significant disruptions to the Central Plains by late Saturday, spreading
to the Ohio Valley on Sunday. Severe travel delays are likely, with the
storm reaching the Mid-Atlantic by Sunday night into Monday. On Saturday,
the storm will produce moderate to heavy snow from the Northern High
Plains to the Central Plains.

Moreover, widespread heavy snow will accompany the storm. Heavy snowfall
is expected across areas from central Kansas to Ohio, especially along and
north of Interstate 70, with a 60-90% chance of at least 8 inches of snow
on Sunday. For some, this could be the heaviest snowfall in over a decade.
Additionally, moderate to heavy snow will develop over parts of the
northern Mid-Atlantic overnight Sunday into Monday.

In addition, blizzard conditions will develop over the Central Plains.
Wind gusts over 35 mph combined with heavy snow will create blizzard
conditions by Sunday morning. Whiteout conditions will make travel
extremely hazardous, with impassable roads and a high risk of motorists
becoming stranded.

Furthermore, significant icing/freezing rain for Middle Mississippi/Ohio
Valleys. Sleet and freezing rain are expected from eastern Kansas and the
Ozarks to the Ohio Valley. Dangerous travel is anticipated, with tree
damage and power outages likely in areas with over a quarter-inch of ice
accumulation. Overnight Sunday, the storm will produce additional icing in
the Central Appalachians.

On Sunday, as the front crosses the Southern Plains and moves into the
Lower Mississippi Valley, severe thunderstorms will develop over parts of
the Lower Mississippi Valley. Therefore, the SPC has issued an Enhanced
Risk (level 3/5) of severe thunderstorms over parts of the Lower
Mississippi Valley from Sunday through Monday morning. The hazards
associated with these thunderstorms are frequent lightning, severe
thunderstorm wind gusts, hail, and a few tornadoes.

Meanwhile, cold air moving over the Great Lakes and upper-level energy
over the Great Lakes and Northeast will create heavy lake-effect snow
downwind from Lake Ontario through Sunday morning. In addition, moderate
lake-effect snow will develop downwind from the Upper Great Lakes and Lake
Erie through Sunday morning. Furthermore, light upslope snow will develop
over parts of the Central Appalachians on Saturday. On Sunday, the
lake-effect snow will become light over most of the Lakes, while moderate
to heavy snow will continue downwind from Lake Ontario. Light to moderate
snow will develop over parts of the Northeast.

Furthermore, weak onshore flow and multiple weakening fronts move onshore
over the Northwest. The system will produce coastal rain and
higher-elevation snow over parts of the Pacific Northwest and Northern
California through Monday.

To get your local forecast plus active alerts and warnings click HERE and enter your city, state or zip code.

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.

Weather Outlook for the U.S. for Today Through at Least 22 Days and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: – Posted on January 3, 2025

January 3, 2025Posted inweatherNo Comments

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
Fri Jan 03 2025
Valid 12Z Fri Jan 03 2025 – 12Z Sun Jan 05 2025

…Heavy lake-effect snow downwind from Lakes Erie and Ontario; Moderate
to heavy lake-effect snow downwind from the Upper Great Lakes…

… Moderate to heavy snow or the Cascades, Sierra Nevada Mountains, and
the higher elevation of the West; 0.1 inches of freezing rain over parts
of the Central Plains/Middle Mississippi Valley on Saturday…

…Moderate to heavy rain over parts of Pacific Northwest and Northern
California on Friday…

Cold high pressure over the Plains will slowly move eastward to the
Southeast/Central Appalachians by Sunday. The cold air and upper-level
energy over the Great Lakes and Northeast will create heavy lake-effect
snow downwind from Lakes Erie and Ontario through Sunday. In addition,
moderate to heavy lake-effect snow will develop downwind from the Upper
Great Lakes through Sunday, too. Furthermore, moderate to heavy upslope
snow will develop over parts of the Central Appalachians on Friday.

Meanwhile, a front over the Eastern Pacific will move onshore over the
West Coast and move southeastward to the Southern Plains by Sunday.
Moisture associated with the system will produce moderate to heavy rain
over parts of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California on Friday.
Snow will develop over parts of the Cascades, Northern Intermountain
Region, and Northern Rockies. By early afternoon, the boundary will pass
the Northwest and California, rain will change over to snow over the
Southern Cascades into the Sierra Nevada Mountains through Saturday
morning.

A weakening front will move close to the Pacific Northwest Coast by late
Saturday morning and dissipate by Sunday. The system will bring more
coastal rain and higher�elevation snow over parts of the Pacific
Northwest and Northern California through Sunday.

Furthermore, by Saturday afternoon, the lead front will move to the
Southern High Plains and into the Southern Plains by Sunday. The storm
will produce significant wintry weather, with impacts over the Central
Plains by late Saturday and the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys on Sunday.
Additionally, the storm will create severe travel disruptions.

Moreover, areas in the Central Plains and Central Mississippi Valley,
especially along and north of Interstate 70, are likely to experience
heavy snowfall, with a high chance (60-90 percent) of at least 6 inches of
snow from late Saturday into Sunday. Significant sleet and freezing rain
are anticipated from eastern Kansas and the Ozarks extending eastward to
the Tennessee and lower Ohio Valleys, also on Saturday into Sunday.

Further, rain will develop over parts of the Southern Plains/Lower
Mississippi Valley overnight Saturday, and some areas of showers and
thunderstorms will develop by Sunday morning.

To get your local forecast plus active alerts and warnings click HERE and enter your city, state or zip code.

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.

Weather Outlook for the U.S. for Today Through at Least 22 Days and a Six-Day Forecast for the World – Posted on January 2, 2025

January 2, 2025Posted inweatherNo Comments

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 Jan 02 2025
Valid 12Z Thu Jan 02 2025 – 12Z Sat Jan 04 2025

…Long duration lake-effect snow event continues downwind of the Great
Lakes…

…Periods of locally heavy coastal rains and higher elevation snow
continue for much of the northwestern U.S….

…Arctic air surges south from the Northern Plains through the Central
and Eastern U.S….

Strong northwesterly winds on the backside of a departing low pressure
system that is moving into the Canadian maritime will generate moderate to
heavy lake enhanced snow downwind of the Great Lakes over the next few
days. Anywhere between 6-12 inches of snow with isolated higher amounts
may accumulate downwind of the Lakes by Saturday morning. A low pressure
system tracking across the Central U.S. will produce a light swath of
snowfall from Iowa across the Ohio Valley today and into the Central
Appalachians on Friday. Snowfall accumulations of 6-12 inches are possible
over the Central Appalachians.

A series of low pressure systems will generate rain and high elevation
snow across much of the Northwest over the next couple of days. The
moisture plume associated with the first system will be directed at the
northern California coast and Oregon today, where an isolated threat of
Flash Flooding exists. Snow showers continue over the Northern/Central
Rockies. Rain and snow showers expand in coverage across the Northwest on
Friday. Accumulating snow is possible over the highest elevations of the
Cascades, Sierra and Northern Rockies. Heavy rainfall expands into the
upslope areas of the Sierra as the cold front pushes through.

High pressure builds over the Great Plains, sending frigid arctic air down
through the Central and Eastern U.S. through the weekend. Meanwhile, the
West and Southern Plains will experience above average temperatures. There
also continues to be an elevated fire weather threat over parts of
southern California today.

To get your local forecast plus active alerts and warnings click HERE and enter your city, state or zip code.

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.

NOAA Updates their Mid-Month Outlook for January 2025 – Major Changes for Temperature – Posted on January 1, 2025

January 1, 2025Posted inweatherNo Comments

At the end of every month, NOAA updates its Outlook for the following month which in this case is January of 2025. We are reporting on that tonight. In this article, I refer to January 2025 as “The New Month”.

There have been significant changes in the Outlook for the new month and these are addressed in the NOAA Discussion so it is well worth reading.  We provided the prior Mid-Month Outlook for the new month for comparison. It is easy to see the substantial changes in the weather outlook by comparing the Mid-Month and Updated Maps. My comments are in a box.

The article includes the Drought Outlook for the new month. NOAA also adjusted the previously issued three-month Drought Outlook to reflect the changes in the new month’s Drought Outlook. We also provide the Week 2/3 Tropical Outlook for the World. The Tropical Outlet includes both direct and indirect potential impacts to the Southern Tier of CONUS. We also include a whole set of forecasts for parts of the new month. These are both useful and provide a crosscheck on the validity of the new month’s Outlook. The whole should be equal to the sum of its parts.

The best way to understand the updated outlook for the new month is to view the maps and read the NOAA discussion. I have highlighted the key statements in the NOAA Discussion.

I am going to start with graphics that show the updated Outlook for the new month and the earlier Mid-Month Outlook for the new month. This is followed by a graphic that shows both the Updated Outlook for the new month and the previously issued three-month outlook for the three-month period adjusted for the changes to the first month. So you get the full picture in three graphics.

Here is the updated Outlook for January 2025.

For Comparison Purposes, Here is the earlier Mid-Month Outlook for January, 2025

It is important to remember that the maps show deviations from the current definition of normal which is the period 1991 through 2020.  So this is not a forecast of the absolute value of temperature or precipitation but the change from what is defined as normal or to use the technical term climatology.

It is a substantial change from what was issued on December 19, 2024November 21, 2024. Remember, it is the first set of maps that are the current outlook for January which is the new month.  One expects some changes  12 days later. However, the changes to the updated new month Outlook are very significant.  This then might give us some reason to question the (December 19, 2024) three-month JFM temperature and precipitation Outlooks which are shown in the following graphic. Or one might say that La Nina has arrived too late to be a big factor for January and the impact of the MJO is much more than originally forecast.  Thus the February and March Outlooks may still be valid.

NOAA provided a combination of the Updated Outlook for the New Month and the Three-Month Outlook.

The top pair of maps are again the Updated Outlook for the new month. There is a temperature map and a precipitation map. The bottom row shows the three-month outlooks which includes the new month. I think the outlook maps are self-explanatory.

To the extent that one can rely on a forecast, we would conclude that February and March will be very different than January particularly with respect to temperature. You can subtract January from the three-month Outlook and divide by two to get a combined February/March Outlook.

I am still not convinced that there will be a La Nina Winter. Thus I am somewhat skeptical about the NOAA Outlooks.

Some readers may need to click “Read More” to read the rest of the article.  Some will feel that they have enough information. But there is a lot more information in the rest of this article.

Weather Outlook for the U.S. for Today Through at Least 22 Days and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted January 1, 2025

January 1, 2025Posted inweatherNo Comments

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
Tue Dec 31 2024
Valid 12Z Wed Jan 01 2025 – 12Z Fri Jan 03 2025

…Coastal storm to bring rain and snow showers to the Northeast New
Year’s Day…

…Warming trend for the western U.S. while the northern/eastern U.S.
experiences colder temperatures through the end of the work week…

…Long duration lake effect snow event expected to begin unfolding
tomorrow downwind of the Great Lakes…

An area of low pressure will move across the interior Northeast/Quebec
while a secondary low pressure system develops along the New England Coast
today. Colder temperatures will filter into the eastern U.S. behind a
trailing cold front which will allow for a changeover to snow for interior
portions of the Northeast on New Year’s Day as the surface low deepens and
slowly tracks northward into eastern Quebec. This storm will mark the
beginning of a pattern change for the lower 48 where colder air will sink
southward from central Canada into the northern Plains, eventually
sweeping eastward. From the northern to eastern U.S., temperatures will
fall each day with values approaching average for New England on Thursday
while below average temperatures stretch from northern Montana to the
Mid-Atlantic and Southeast coasts. The colder air flowing across the still
relative warmth of the Great Lakes will set up a favorable pattern for
lake effect snow showers, starting today, which should persist through the
end of the week. Snowfall accumulations are expected to be greatest for
locations east of Lake Ontario and Erie through Thursday evening with 6 to
12+ inches in the forecast, but additional snow is likely into the weekend
as well.

Across the West Coast, a series of Pacific fronts will track into northern
California, Oregon and Washington over the next couple of days and weaken
as they move inland. These systems will bring light, moderate and
occasionally heavy rain to the coast of northern California and Oregon
where 2 to 4 inches of rain is expected through Thursday evening. Lighter
rainfall is expected farther north into western Washington while
accumulating snow falls into the Northern/Central Rockies, with the
highest snowfall accumulations expected for there through Thursday (6-18
inches, depending on elevation).

In addition, an increase in fire weather concerns for parts of the
Transverse Ranges of southern California will exist today, with an
Elevated Risk for of the spreading of wildfires lingering in southern
California for New Year’s Day. Gusty winds and low relative humidities
will contribute to the risk. Regarding temperatures, many locations west
of the Rockies will experience a warming trend over the next few days as
an upper ridge begins to build across the Southwest.

To get your local forecast plus active alerts and warnings click HERE and enter your city, state or zip code.

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.

Weather Outlook for the U.S. for Today Through at Least 22 Days and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted December 31, 2024

December 31, 2024Posted inweatherNo Comments

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
Tue Dec 31 2024
Valid 12Z Tue Dec 31 2024 – 12Z Thu Jan 02 2025

…Cooling trend spreads from West to East this week….

…Fire Weather concerns for portions of southern California and Texas
through mid-week…

Systems moving by the northern Intermountain West bring the promise of
snowy periods in and near western Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming through
Wednesday. The first of those systems moves out into the Midwest, Ohio
Valley, and Northeast, bringing rain and thunderstorms near and to the
cyclone’s east, with thunderstorms most likely across portions of the
Eastern Shore and New Jersey on the afternoon and early evening of New
Year’s Eve. As the cyclone moves through the Northeast on Wednesday, both
Lake Effect and Lake Enhanced snows will spread through the Great Lakes
and into the northern and central Appalachians. Between 6-12 inches of
snow are forecast to accumulate downwind of the Lower Great Lakes by
Thursday morning. Some mixed precipitation is expected across central New
England.

A system arriving from the Great Plains will promote snow showers for the
broader Great Lakes region on Tuesday. A cooling trend started in the
West expands east through the rest of the country over the next couple of
days. Building high pressure across the Great Basin is expected to
increase winds across southern California over the next couple of days,
promoting an increased fire weather risk which could become critical
through mid-week. Wind advisories, a red flag warning, and a fire weather
watch have all been posted for the area as well for parts of south-central
Texas through Tuesday.

To get your local forecast plus active alerts and warnings click HERE and enter your city, state or zip code.

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.

Weather Outlook for the U.S. for Today Through at Least 22 Days and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted December 30, 2024

December 30, 2024Posted inweatherNo Comments

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
Mon Dec 30 2024
Valid 12Z Mon Dec 30 2024 – 12Z Wed Jan 01 2025

…Snow showers likely across parts of the Northern Rockies and
Northern/Central Plains today…

…Much above average temperatures continue for the Central and Eastern
U.S today; cooling trend spreads from West to East this week….

…Critical Fire Weather expected for portions of the Southern High Plains
today...

A surface low pressure system ejecting out of the Rockies into the Plains
will likely produce a swath of snow and strong winds from northern Idaho
down through western Iowa today. Moderate impacts mainly due to blowing
snow are expected across much of Wyoming, the Colorado Rockies, South
Dakota and northwestern Nebraska. Snow over the Northern Rockies could
accumulate between 6-12 inches with isolated higher amounts possible. Snow
and wind should subside across the Northwest tonight as the low pressure
system tracks into the Ohio Valley.

Downstream, another, deeper mid-latitude cyclone will spread showers and
scattered thunderstorms into the Northeast with some light snow showers
possible downwind of the Lower Great Lakes today. The arrival of the
Plains system will promote even more snow showers for the broader Great
Lakes region on Tuesday.

Much above average temperatures are expected to continue across the
Central and Eastern U.S. today ahead of their respective low pressure
systems. Temperatures over south Texas will be especially anomalous with
highs likely between 20-30 degrees above average. Numerous high
temperature records may be tied or broken as a result. Unusually mild
conditions in the Northeast may also tie or break high temperature records
today. A cooling trend ensues across the West today before expanding east
through the rest of the country over the next couple of days. A Critical
Fire Weather area was issued by the Storm Prediction Center for much of
the Southern High Plains for today due to the especially warm temperatures
paired with dry and gusty westerly downslope flow beneath the storm to the
north.

To get your local forecast plus active alerts and warnings click HERE and enter your city, state or zip code.

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.

Weather Outlook for the U.S. for Today Through at Least 22 Days and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted December 29, 2024

December 29, 2024Posted inweatherNo Comments

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
Sun Dec 29 2024
Valid 12Z Sun Dec 29 2024 – 12Z Tue Dec 31 2024

…Atmospheric river to produce heavy rain/snow across much of the
Northwest today…

…Severe Thunderstorms and Excessive Rainfall concerns shift into parts
of the Central/Southern Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic/Southeast today…

…Much above average temperatures continue across the Central and Eastern
U.S.; cooler air moves into the Northwest on Monday…

…Critical Fire Weather expected for portions of the Southern High Plains
on Monday…

An active weather pattern will continue in the northwestern and
southeastern quadrants of the country today. Heavy rain associated with an
atmospheric river event will produce 1-2 inches over coastal areas of
Oregon and northern California, including upslope areas of the northern
Sierra Nevada. Slight Risks of Excessive Rainfall (at least 15%) leading
to Flash Flooding are in effect for portions of southwest Oregon/northwest
California and the northern Sierra today. This wet pattern in the West
could produce rock, mud and land slides over vulnerable soils. Additional
heavy snow is likely over much of the Cascades, Northern/Central Rockies
and Sierra Nevada. Between 1-2 feet of snow (isolated higher) are expected
for parts of the Cascades and Rockies.

Storms associated with a severe weather outbreak that occurred across the
Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley yesterday will spread into
the southeastern U.S. today. Heavy rain and scattered to severe
thunderstorms, capable of producing tornadoes, damaging wind gusts and
hail are possible from the eastern Gulf Coast northward into the
Carolinas, where a Slight Risk of Severe Thunderstorms (level 2/5) is in
effect. Rain showers will also spread into the Northeast today as well,
while some light wintry precipitation develops over parts of the Lower
Peninsula of Michigan tonight.

Meanwhile, ongoing moderate to heavy rainfall along a narrow axis of low
level convergence may persist into this afternoon over south Florida.
There’s potential for this Marginal Risk (at least 5%) of Excessive
Rainfall to over perform given current conditions.

Much above average temperatures from the Central to Eastern thirds of the
country should persist until Tuesday, while an increasingly trough-y
pattern in the West will promote cooling temperatures beginning on Monday.
Widespread high minimum temperatures may be tied or broken across the
Northeast tonight ahead of a deepening upstream trough and southerly flow
along a strong surface warm front. Dry, windy and mild conditions in the
Southern High Plains will support a Critical Risk of Fire Weather on
Monday.

To get your local forecast plus active alerts and warnings click HERE and enter your city, state or zip code.

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.

Some Information on Lake Effect Snow – Published December 28, 2024

December 28, 2024Posted inClimate, weatherNo Comments

 

 This graphic explains it all. Until lakes freeze, they serve as cloud generators when cold air blows across them. Those clouds tend to rise due to the heat content from the lake’s evaporation and cool, precipitating rapidly, producing a lot of snow along the edge of the lake on the opposite side from where the cold air originated. Global Warming may increase the impact of Lake-Effect Snow.

Some will have to click on “Read More”  to read the rest of this article.

Weather Outlook for the U.S. for Today Through at Least 22 Days and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted December 28, 2024

December 28, 2024Posted inweatherNo Comments

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
Sat Dec 28 2024
Valid 12Z Sat Dec 28 2024 – 12Z Mon Dec 30 2024

…Atmospheric river to produce heavy rain/snow across much of the
Northwest…

…Severe Thunderstorm outbreak and Excessive Rainfall potential from the
Southern Plains to Southeast today…

…Mild and much above average temperatures will persist across most of
the country…

The revolving door of mid-latitude cyclones propagating through the
Pacific Northwest is likely to continue through the rest of the weekend. A
deep low pressure system carrying anomalous moisture will generate heavy
to potentially excessive rainfall over parts of the Pacific Northwest
Coast. Parts of northern California and southern Oregon are of particular
concern for flash flooding as most of the heavy rainfall is likely to
focus over those areas through tonight. Things begin to dry up across the
Northwest Coast on Sunday. Meanwhile, heavy snow is also likely over parts
of the Cascades and Northern/Central Rockies, where anywhere between 1-3
feet of snow may accumulate by Monday morning, when snow intensity will
begin to weaken considerably.

Another area of concern is the Lower Mississippi Valley and Southeast,
where a developing low pressure system is likely to generate a severe
thunderstorm outbreak today, as well as heavy rainfall through the rest of
the weekend. Today, according to the Storm Prediction Center, an outbreak
of severe storms with tornadoes, wind damage, and large hail is expected
from parts of the Southern Plains, into the Lower Mississippi Valley and
central Gulf Coast states. Several long track tornadoes are expected.
Thus, a Moderate Risk (level 4/5) of Severe Thunderstorms was hoisted.
Additionally, a Slight Risk (at least 15%) of Excessive Rainfall is in
effect for a similar area to the SPC Slight, but extending farther into
the Tennessee Valley. Heavy rainfall and scattered to severe thunderstorms
shift into the East Coast on Sunday.

Temperatures will remain well above average for much of the Lower 48 this
weekend. Widespread high minimum temperatures may be tied or broken across
much of the Ohio Valley and interior Northeast tonight followed by the
Mid-Atlantic/Northeast Coast Sunday night. Troughing and cooler conditions
are projected to return to the West early next week.

To get your local forecast plus active alerts and warnings click HERE and enter your city, state or zip code.

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.