Today Through the Fourth Friday (22 to 28 days) Weather Outlook for the U.S. and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted April 28, 2024

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
Sun Apr 28 2024
Valid 12Z Sun Apr 28 2024 – 12Z Tue Apr 30 2024

…More rounds of excessive rainfall and severe weather expected to push
eastward into the Lower Mississippi Valley today and Monday…

…High-elevation snow is forecast to spread inland from the Pacific
Northwest into the Northern Rockies on Monday…

…Warmer than average temperatures spreads from Midwest into Mid-Atlantic
today while well below average temperatures shift from the Four Corners
and Rockies into the Northern Plains…

More active and unsettled weather is forecast to continue across the
mid-section of the country through the remainder of the weekend into
Monday. Multiple disturbances embedded within a slow-moving upper-level
trough responsible for the active weather are currently developing another
low pressure system over the Central Plains. Today, the main area of
thunderstorms will push farther eastward toward the Mid and Lower
Mississippi Valley with a slightly lower threat of severe weather than
Saturday. Meanwhile, the heaviest rains should push farther southeast into
the ArkLaTex region as the trailing cold front associated with the low
pressure system begins to weaken. The center of the low is forecast to
track northeast across the Central Plains on Sunday, reaching into the
upper Midwest on Monday. Strong to locally severe thunderstorms can be
expected to extend northeast across these areas including the Midwest
ahead of a warm front to the east of the low pressure center. Meanwhile,
the threat of heavy rain will push farther southeast into the Lower to
Mid-Mississippi Valley as the cold front pushes eastward. There’s are
Slight Risk (at least 15%) of Excessive Rainfall leading to Flash Flooding
over portions of the eastern Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley
today and extending into just the Lower Mississippi Valley/central Gulf
Coast on Monday. The Storm Prediction Center issued an Enhanced Risk
(level 3/5) of Severe Thunderstorms across portions of the eastern
Southern Plains and Middle/Lower Mississippi Valley today.

Elsewhere, another low pressure system will begin to move away from the
Great Lakes into Canada with scattered showers ending over the Upper Great
Lakes but continuing from the Lower Great Lakes into New England. Strong
southerly flow behind a high pressure system will bring very warm air
northward into the East Coast through the next couple of days with high
temperatures climbing well into the 80s to possibly near 90 degrees for
the interior Mid-Atlantic. These temperatures will be in contrast to the
cool temperatures expected for the Pacific Northwest by Monday as the next
upper-level trough from the Pacific is forecast to push inland. This
trough will bring widespread high-elevation snow and lower elevation rain
across the Pacific Northwest toward the Northern Rockies on Monday with
increasingly windy conditions as a low pressure system begins to develop
over the Northern High Plains into southern Canada.

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.

The North American Monsoon (NAM) – Posted on April 27, 2024

In this article, I am presenting information from the National Weather Service and some other parts of NOAA on the North American Monsoon (NAM) which really is the Sonoran Monsoon but we wanted to have our own so we appropriated it. When the Sonoran Monsoon leaks into the U.S. it is called the NAM. The quoted material is indented and my comments are in boxes.

Yes and no.  Yes, it is a season not a single storm. Tucson NWS is Monsoon Headquarters and they had criteria for determining when the Monsoon started and stopped but it was felt that these were too complicated for Americans so they changed to a calendar start and stop time which works well.

The starting point for understanding the NAM or pretty much anything in Meteorology is to think about the time of the year. In the winter, the prevailing westerlies and the jet stream dominate weather in the CONUS. In the summer they still have an impact but other mechanisms can come into play.  No time in this article to explain it but the ITCZ moves to the north.

I would like to add that the differential heading of land and water in Mexico causes moist air to rise creating thermal low which kind of shoves the high north of it to the north. The mountains also play a role in sometimes blocking air flows and uplifting air masses which causes precipitation. It is quite complex but we are going to simplify it a bit in this article.

This map shows the percentage of annual precipitation that arrives during the Monsoon Season.  You can see that the NAM is very important to  Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas,  Western Texas, and the small part of Southeast California. But it is important to many other states as well. It may not provide a disproportionate part of their annual precipitation but a good monsoon versus a poor monsoon has an impact on many states.  As you can see, it is even more important to Mexico.

There are more than four types but these are the main ones.  We will go into detail on each of them in the body of this article. But it is really simple when you think about a high being clockwise and a low being counterclockwise.  Where you have a low west of a high, the air will be shuttled to the north from Mexico. So first look for the position of the main high-pressure area. Then look for where the low is. You will be able to figure out which way the wind will be blowing. If it is coming from where moisture is, it is likely to rain.

Some readers will need to click on “Read More” to get to the body of the article.

Today Through the Fourth Friday (22 to 28 days) Weather Outlook for the U.S. and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted April 27, 2024

Accuweather Southern Plains Tornado Update HERE.

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
400 PM EDT Sat Apr 27 2024

Valid 00Z Sun Apr 28 2024 – 00Z Tue Apr 30 2024

…More rounds of excessive rainfall and severe weather expected to push
eastward across the southern Plains tonight reaching into lower
Mississippi Valley on Monday…

…Snow over central Colorado gradually tapers off tonight but
high-elevation snow is forecast to spread inland from the Pacific
Northwest into the northern Rockies on Monday…

…Critical Fire Weather Risk over portions of the Southern High Plains…

…Warmer than average temperatures spreads from Midwest into Mid-Atlantic
on Sunday while well below average temperatures shift from the Four
Corners and Rockies into the Northern Plains…

More active and unsettled weather is forecast to continue across the
mid-section of the country through the remainder of the weekend into
Monday. Multiple disturbances embedded within a slow-moving upper-level
trough responsible for the active weather are currently developing another
low pressure system over the central Plains. Showers and thunderstorms
are expected to erupt in the warm and unstable air ahead of the low
pressure system east of a dry line from northern Texas through central
Oklahoma into eastern Kansas. A moderate risk of severe weather is
forecast through tonight per the Storm Prediction Center with the
possibility of large hail, damaging winds and multiple tornadoes. In
addition to the severe weather, intense rainfall rates are expected to
accompany these thunderstorms at times, leading to a moderate to locally
high potential of flash flooding to occur in these areas through tonight.
By Sunday, the main area of thunderstorms will push farther eastward
toward the mid- and lower Mississippi Valley with a slightly lower threat
of severe weather. Meanwhile, the heaviest rains should push farther
southeast into the ArkLaTex region as the trailing cold front associated
with the low pressure system begins to weaken. The center of the low is
forecast to track northeast across the central Plains on Sunday, reaching
into the upper Midwest on Monday. Strong to locally severe thunderstorms
can be expected to extend northeast across these areas including the
Midwest ahead of a warm front to the east of the low pressure center.
Meanwhile, the threat of heavy rain will push farther southeast into the
lower to mid-Mississippi Valley as the cold front pushes eastward.

Meanwhile, snow on the backside of the low pressure system is forecast to
gradually taper off tonight over central Colorado, and so will the areas
of mixed rain/snow extending into the Four-Corners as the system moves
farther away into the central Plains. Meanwhile, another low pressure
system will begin to move away from the Great Lakes into Canada with
scattered showers ending over the upper Great Lakes but continuing from
the lower Great Lakes into New England. Strong southerly flow behind a
high pressure system will bring very warm air northward into the East
Coast through the next couple of days with high temperatures climbing well
into the 80s to possibly near 90 degrees for the interior Mid-Atlantic.
These temperatures will be in contrast to the cool temperatures expected
for the Pacific Northwest by Monday as the next upper-level trough from
the Pacific is forecast to push inland. This trough will bring widespread
high-elevation snow and lower elevation rain across the Pacific Northwest
toward the northern Rockies on Monday with increasingly windy conditions
as a low pressure system begins to develop over the northern High Plains
into southern Canada. Meanwhile, dry and warm winds sinking down the
southern Rockies will continue to keep a critical fire weather risk over
the southern High Plains.

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.

26 Apr 2023 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Small Caps Gapped Up At The Opening Bell, The S&P 500 Driven Higher By Tech Earnings, Markets Close Sharply Higher With The Nasdaq Over 2% higher

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed up 153 points or 0.40%,
  • Nasdaq closed up 2.03%,
  • S&P 500 closed up 1.02%,
  • Gold $2,351 up $6.00,
  • WTI crude oil settled at $84 up $0.08,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 4.669% down 0.037 points,
  • USD index $106.03 up $0.440,
  • Bitcoin $63,872 down $768 (1.19%),
  • Baker Hughes Rig Count: U.S. -6 to 613 Canada -9 to 118

*Stock data, cryptocurrency, and commodity prices at the market closing.


Click here to read our current Economic Forecast – April 2024 Economic Forecast: Economy Marginally Improving But Growth Will Be Weak


Today’s Economic Releases Compiled by Steven Hansen, Publisher:

Real Disposable Personal income (DPI) increased 1.4% year-over-year in March 2024 – down from 1.7% in February., according to estimates released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (tables 2 and 3). Real Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased 3.1% year-over-year (up from 2.3% in February). The PCE price index increased 2.7% year-over-year (up from 2.5% in February). Excluding food and energy, the PCE price index increased 2.8% year-over-year (little changed from February). In summary, inflation adjusted income growth is now only half of the growth in spending – and inflation is not moderating. Not sure how the Fed can cut the federal funds rate under these conditions.

Here is a summary of headlines we are reading today:

Click on the “Read More” below to access these, other headlines, and the associated news summaries moving the markets today.

Today Through the Fourth Friday (22 to 28 days) Weather Outlook for the U.S. and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted April 26, 2024

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
Fri Apr 26 2024
Valid 12Z Fri Apr 26 2024 – 12Z Sun Apr 28 2024

…An active weather pattern for much of the Plains into the Mid to Upper
Mississippi Valley regions…

…Thunderstorms to bring heavy rain, localized Flash Flooding and Severe
Weather to portions of the Plains…

…An elevated to Critical Fire Weather threat across the Southern High
Plains…

..Cooler than average temperatures expected from the Rockies to the West
Coast and from the Mid-Atlantic to the Northeast, while much above average
temperatures spread from the Southern Plains to the Great Lakes…

A dynamic weather system is poised to bring significant weather impacts
across the Plains extending into the Mid-to-Upper Mississippi Valley
regions this weekend. This system will usher in a variety of weather
phenomena including thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and even severe weather
conditions. Thunderstorm activity is forecasted to intensify across
portions of the Plains, particularly in areas extending from the Southern
Plains to the Great Lakes. These storms are likely to bring heavy
rainfall, increasing the risk of localized flash flooding in low-lying and
urban areas. There’s a Slight Risk (at least 15%) of Excessive Rainfall
leading to Flash Flooding over portions of eastern Oklahoma and
northeastern Texas into western Arkansas and southern Missouri today.
Another system emerging from the Rockies will bring the focus for heavy
rainfall and severe storms back over the Southern Plains on Saturday.
There’s a Moderate Risk (at least 40%) of Excessive Rainfall over central
to northeastern Oklahoma on Saturday. Furthermore, some of these storms
may turn severe, with the potential for damaging winds, large hail, and
isolated tornadoes. To that end, the Storm Prediction Center issued an
Enhanced Risk (level 3/5) of Severe Thunderstorms over portions of eastern
Nebraska, northeastern Kansas, northwestern Missouri and southwestern Iowa
today Another Enhanced Risk area was issued across parts of southern Iowa,
eastern/central Kansas, southeastern Nebraska, northwestern Missouri,
central Oklahoma and north-central Texas for Saturday as another system
spawns another round of storms for the Central U.S..

While thunderstorms pose a threat to some areas, the Southern High Plains
face an Elevated to Critical Fire Weather threat through this weekend. Dry
and gusty conditions, coupled with low relative humidity levels, will
create favorable conditions for the rapid spread of wildfires. Outdoor
burning is strongly discouraged, and residents should exercise extreme
caution to prevent the ignition of fires. A cooler air mass will settle
over regions stretching from the Rockies to the West Coast and from the
Mid-Atlantic to the Northeast. Temperatures are forecasted to remain below
average for this time of year. Conversely, a swath of much above average
temperatures is expected to encompass areas from the Southern Plains to
the Great Lakes. Daytime highs will soar, potentially reaching
unseasonably warm levels. Meanwhile, unsettled weather, including
rain/snow showers and scattered to isolated thunderstorms are expected to
spread across much of the West through Saturday.

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.

25 Apr 2023 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: The Dow Gapped Down Over 400 Points At The Opening Bell Over GDP And Inflation Concerns, Finally Closing Higher, But Remaining In The Red

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed down 375 points or 0.98%,
  • Nasdaq closed down 0.64%,
  • S&P 500 closed down 0.46%,
  • Gold $2,345 up $6.00,
  • WTI crude oil settled at $84 up $0.94,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 4.704% up 0.050 points,
  • USD index $105.58 down $0.280,
  • Bitcoin $64,826 up $586 (0.61%)

*Stock data, cryptocurrency, and commodity prices at the market closing.


Click here to read our current Economic Forecast – April 2024 Economic Forecast: Economy Marginally Improving But Growth Will Be Weak


Today’s Economic Releases Compiled by Steven Hansen, Publisher:

The number of CEO changes at U.S. companies fell 27% to 180 in March 2024, from the record-high 248 in February. It is up 29% from the 139 CEO exits recorded in the same month last year. March’s total is the highest for the month since the firm began tracking CEO exits in 2002. In the first quarter, 622 CEOs have announced their departures, the highest quarterly total on record. It is up 49% from the 418 exits in the first quarter of last year, and up 27% from the 489 CEO exits which occurred in the previous quarter. Andrew Challenger, Senior Vice President of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. added:

C-Level leaders have had an incredibly challenging few years, and are transitioning out of their roles, whether for new opportunities or to get fresh starts elsewhere.

The advance estimate of real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 1.6 percent in the first quarter of 2024 – which is a fairly weak performance. However, I think this headline view is bogus as I believe year-over-year analysis provides the proper prospective. 1Q2024 growth was 3.0% year-over-year, and is only slightly lower than 4Q2024’s 3.1% and higher than 3Q2024’s 2.9%. Gross private domestic investment was very strong in 1Q2024 but was dragged down by goods purchases. As real GDP is adjusted for inflation, note that inflation price index only marginally weakened from last quarter’s 2.4% to 2.3% in 1Q2024.

The Kansas City Fed manufacturing activity fell again in April 2024, and expectations for future activity remained flat. Prices for raw materials grew at a steady pace while finished product prices stayed the same, increasing their spread. The month-over-month composite index was -8 in April, down from -7 in March and -4 in February. Manufacturing is far from a bright spot in the current economy.

The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) – a forward-looking indicator of home sales based on contract signings – with year-over-year growth up 0.1%. An index of 100 is equal to the level of contract activity in 2001. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun stated:

March’s Pending Home Sales Index – at 78.2 – marks the best performance in a year, but it still remains in a fairly narrow range over the last 12 months without a measurable breakout. Meaningful gains will only occur with declining mortgage rates and rising inventory.

In the week ending April 20, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims 4-week moving average was 213,250, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 214,500.

In February 2024, 2.8% of all mortgages in the U.S. were in some stage of delinquency (30 days or more past due, including those in foreclosure), down year-over-year from February 2023 and unchanged month over month from January 2024. Molly Boesel, Principal Economist for CoreLogic added:

The U.S. delinquency rate fell from a year earlier for the first time in six months in February, indicating that mortgage performance remains strong. The decrease in delinquencies was driven by the decline in the share of mortgages that were six months or more past due, a number that has been consistently shrinking and fell to its lowest level in 15 years in February. As later-stage delinquencies decrease, the share of mortgages in foreclosure remained at 0.3% in February, where it has been since March 2022 and only slightly higher than the all-time low.

Here is a summary of headlines we are reading today:

Click on the “Read More” below to access these, other headlines, and the associated news summaries moving the markets today.

Today Through the Fourth Friday (22 to 28 days) Weather Outlook for the U.S. and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted April 25, 2024

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
Thu Apr 25 2024
Valid 12Z Thu Apr 25 2024 – 12Z Sat Apr 27 2024

…Unsettled weather and severe thunderstorm chances will continue to
expand across much of the central United States over the next several
days…

…Increasing risk of flash flooding across parts of central and eastern
Oklahoma Saturday night…

…Active fire weather pattern to emerge over the southern High Plains
today…

An increasingly active weather pattern is beginning to unfold across the
mid-section of the Nation as an upper-level trough from the subtropical
eastern Pacific nears Baja California and the Southwest. This trough is
expected to interact with warm and moist air returning from the Gulf of
Mexico and produce an expanding area of showers and thunderstorms
gradually lifting north of a warm front. The initial stages of
rain/thunderstorm formation are setting up across the central Plains early
this morning. A greater severe weather threat is expected to expand across
the central Plains this afternoon as a surface cyclone rapidly deepens in
eastern Colorado in response to the approaching upper level trough. The
aforementioned warm front is expected to continue lifting northward while
a High Plains dryline pushes east. This environment is anticipated to
produce numerous thunderstorms across the central and southern Plains,
with scattered storms turning severe. The Storm Prediction Center has
issued an Enhanced Risk (level 3/5) for severe weather across parts of
western Kansas and Oklahoma into the eastern Texas Panhandle and northwest
Texas. Very large hail, severe wind gusts, and a couple strong tornadoes
will all be possible. Multiple rounds of heavy rain could also lead to
scattered flash flooding, which has prompted a Slight Risk (level 2/4) of
Excessive Rainfall across parts of northeast Oklahoma, eastern Kansas,
southwest Missouri, and northwest Arkansas. By Friday, the low pressure
system is forecast to deepen and slide northeast across the central Plains
before eventually reaching the upper Midwest on Saturday morning. This
will spread shower and thunderstorm chances eastward into the upper
Midwest, mid- and lower Mississippi Valley, as well as the southern
Plains. The greatest severe weather threat to end the week is forecast
across parts of the central Plains and mid-Mississippi Valley, where an
Enhanced Risk of severe weather includes parts of southwest Iowa,
southeast Nebraska, northeast Kansas, and northwest Missouri. This severe
weather threat includes the possibility of a few tornadoes, large to very
large hail, and damaging winds. Isolated to scattered instances of flash
flooding are also possible across much of the Mississippi Valley into the
southern Plains on Friday.

No breaks from Mother Nature to start the weekend as another round of
severe weather and possibly a dangerous flash flood threat impacts parts
of the central/southern Plains. After the initial system progresses into
the Upper Great Lakes, a lingering frontal boundary is expected to stretch
into the central Plains on Saturday, along with a southern High Plains
dryline. Meanwhile, the western U.S. trough is anticipated to reload due
to an approaching shortwave from the northeast Pacific. This setup is
forecast to produce another round of strong to severe storms Saturday
evening, with several thunderstorms expected to move slowly over parts of
central and eastern Oklahoma. This creates a situation likely to lead to
numerous instances of flash flooding and is highlighted by a Moderate Risk
(level 3/4) for Excessive Rainfall, with a Slight Risk spanning from
north-central Texas to southern Iowa. Residents and visitors across the
central U.S. over the next several days are urged to remain weather aware,
have multiple ways to receive warnings, and never drive across flooded
roads.

Behind the dryline across the southern High Plains, the combination of
very low relative humidity and gusty winds are expected to raise fire
danger to critical level through this weekend. Any fires that develop will
likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended. Additionally,
gusty winds up to 60 mph could lead to areas of blowing dust.

Elsewhere, unsettled weather is expected to persist over the West, Great
Basin, and Rockies over the next few days with the passage of the upper
trough. Precipiation is expected to remain mostly light, with embedded
downpours and high-elevation heavy snow by Friday across the Rockies. The
Northwest should be the wettest region across the West as a Pacific low
pressure system moves onshore. The Coastal Ranges as well as the Cascades
could receive a couple of inches of rainfall with heavy wet snow possible
across the higher elevations. This active weather will also accompany a
cooling trend throughout the West in contrast to the recent spring warmth
across the region. Chilly weather is also forecast across the Northeast
and Mid-Atlantic through the end of the week as high pressure builds
southward from Canada. Low temperatures could dip below freezing on this
morning and have prompted Freeze Warnings and Frost Advisories to be
issued from the Midwest to southern New England. Most of the above average
warmth will be found throughout the Plains outside of areas experiencing
prolonged periods of rainfall, with highs into the 80s remaining across
the Southern Tier States into Friday. Above average warmth will also begin
to spread eastward into the Midwest, Great Lakes, and Ohio Valley by
Saturday with highs into the upper 70s and low 80s.

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.

24 Apr 2023 Market Close & Major Financial Headlines: Stagnated Markets Traded Back And Forth The Unchanged Line To Finally Close Mixed And The S&P 500 Flat

Summary Of the Markets Today:

  • The Dow closed down 43 points or 0.11%,
  • Nasdaq closed up 0.10%,
  • S&P 500 closed up 0.02%,
  • Gold $2,332 down $10.20,
  • WTI crude oil settled at $83 down $0.42,
  • 10-year U.S. Treasury 4.646% up 0.048 points,
  • USD index $105.81 up $0.130,
  • Bitcoin $64,050 down $2,495 (3.78%)

*Stock data, cryptocurrency, and commodity prices at the market closing.


Click here to read our current Economic Forecast – April 2024 Economic Forecast: Economy Marginally Improving But Growth Will Be Weak


Today’s Economic Releases Compiled by Steven Hansen, Publisher:

New orders for manufactured durable goods in March 2024 increased by 1.3% year-over-year (-1.5% inflation adjusted). Honestly, this report highlights the weakness in capital goods manufacturing in the U.S.  Durable goods new orders are weak in every category.

Here is a summary of headlines we are reading today:

Click on the “Read More” below to access these, other headlines, and the associated news summaries moving the markets today.

North Central Drought from an Agriculture Perspective – Posted April 24, 2024

Of course, they will worry about drought in the North Central area because drought at the beginning of a growing season can be problematic. The beginning of the growing season is a very critical time. It seems that they do not have to worry about a late start this year. But an early start has its own problems. Weather can be fickle.

Although this webinar focuses on the North Central states, many of the maps cover the entire 48 states in CONUS so there is something for everyone in this report. I did not comment on every slide as there were a lot of them. But where I commented, my comment is in a box. If you watch the full webinar (I provided the link) you get their commentary and the Q&A which was good.

You can see the large number of much above-average temperature states. Many of these were in the North Central area.

The North Central had average to slightly above normal precipitation.  It was very wet in the Northeast.

Jan to March shows a similar situation but more states were above average or much above average.

This shows the El Nino pattern but not dramatically wet except in the Northeast.

Many readers will need to click on “Read More” to access the remainder of the report which is very interesting.

Today Through the Fourth Friday (22 to 28 days) Weather Outlook for the U.S. and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted April 24, 2024

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
348 AM EDT Wed Apr 24 2024

Valid 12Z Wed Apr 24 2024 – 12Z Fri Apr 26 2024

…Unsettled weather and severe thunderstorm chances gradually expand
across much of the central United States over the next several days…

…Active fire weather pattern to become situated over the southern High
Plains…

…Above average temperatures shift from the Great Basin to the Plains,
while the West and East remain cool through the end of the week…

The benign weather pattern experienced throughout much of the Nation over
the last few days is expected to conclude as developing upper troughing
over the western U.S. helps create a ripe spring severe weather setup over
parts of the central and southern Plains. This trough is expected to enter
the Southwest by early Thursday and swing into the central Plains by
Friday. At the surface, returning moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will
begin to lift northward today and pool along a gradually lifting warm
front draped across the southern Plains. Combined with a southern High
Plains dryline, a few developing thunderstorms could turn severe today
from West Texas to central Oklahoma, as well as the chances for isolated
flash flooding. A greater severe weather threat exists beginning on
Thursday as a surface cyclone rapidly deepens over the central High Plains
in response to the approaching upper level trough. The aforementioned warm
front is expected to continue lifting northward while the High Plains
dryline pushes east. This environment is anticipated to produce numerous
thunderstorms across the central and southern Plains, with scattered
storms turning severe. The Storm Prediction Center has issued an Enhanced
Risk (level 3/5) for severe weather across parts of
southwest/south-central Kansas and western Oklahoma into the eastern Texas
Panhandle. Very large hail, severe wind gusts, and a couple strong
tornadoes will all be possible. Multiple rounds of heavy rain could also
lead to scattered flash flooding, which has prompted a Slight Risk (level
2/4) of Excessive Rainfall across parts of northeast Oklahoma, eastern
Kansas, western Missouri, and northwest Arkansas. By Friday, the
aforementioned low pressure system is forecast to deepen and slide east
into the central Plains while shower and thunderstorm chances also push
eastward into the Upper Midwest, Middle/Lower Mississippi Valley, and
southern Plains.

Behind the dryline across the southern High Plains, the combination of
very low relative humidity and gusty winds are expected to create Critical
Fire Weather on Thursday and Friday. Any fires that develop will likely
spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended. Additionally, gusty
winds up to 55 mph could lead to areas of blowing dust.

Precipitation chances will also exist elsewhere across the Nation. A cold
front crossing the Northeast today will spread showers over the region,
with snow showers possible across northern New England. Unsettled weather
is expected to develop over the West, Great Basin, and Rockies as well
over the next few days underneath the deepening upper trough. Most
precipiation is expected to remain mostly light, with embedded downpours
and high elevation heavy snow by Friday across the Rockies. This active
weather will also lead to a cooling trend throughout the West compared to
the spring warmth felt over the last few days. Chilly weather is also
forecast across the Northeast through the end of the week as high pressure
builds southward from Canada. Low temperatures could dip below freezing on
Thursday morning and have prompted Freeze Watches to be issued from the
Lower Great Lakes to southern New England. Most of the above average
warmth will be found throughout the Plains, besides of any areas
experiencing prolonged periods of rainfall, with highs into the 80s
remaining across the Southern Tier States until Friday.

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.