Today Through the Fourth Friday (22 to 28 days) Weather Outlook for the U.S. and a Six-Day Forecast for the World: posted March 23, 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
Sat Mar 23 2024
Valid 12Z Sat Mar 23 2024 – 12Z Mon Mar 25 2024…Swath of Heavy Snow to impact portions of northern Vermont, New
Hampshire and Maine today……Significant Winter Storm likely across parts of the Northern Plains and
Upper Midwest; Severe Weather and Critical Fire Risk over Central/Southern
Plains on Sunday...…Excessive Rainfall concerns along DC to Boston urban corridor today…
A number of low pressure systems will produce unsettled weather across the
East and West Coasts today. In the East, a northern stream system will
bring heavy snow to interior Northeast/northern New England today. Winter
Storm Warnings are in effect from northeastern New York through Vermont,
New Hampshire and Maine where a swath of heavy snow will likely dump
between 6-12 inches with isolated higher amounts through tonight. To the
south, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to impact the rest
coastal Northeast down to the southern tip of Florida today. A
particularly heavy axis of rainfall is forecast to setup along the I-95
corridor from Washington DC to Boston today where a Slight Risk of
Excessive Rainfall leading to Flash Flooding is in effect (level 2/4).
Conditions improve across the East Coast on Sunday.Out West, a potent upper-level low will promote coastal scattered to
isolated thunderstorms and low elevation rain showers, while heavy snow
blankets the Sierra and Shasta Siskiyous today. Snow showers spread into
the Rockies this afternoon. Snowfall totals of 6-12 inches are expected
for the aforementioned areas by the end of the weekend. The upper trough
associated with the unsettled weather in the West will be responsible for
the development of a major winter storm over the Northern Plains and Upper
Midwest beginning today.An extensive and high impact storm system will produce widespread heavy
snow and gusty winds over the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest through
early next week. Heavy snow will likely spread across much of central and
eastern Montana tonight, then expand into the Northern Plains and Upper
Midwest on Sunday and continue into Monday. There is a high chance (>70%)
of at least eight inches of snow extending from portions of the Dakotas
and north-central Nebraska northeastward through Minnesota and into
northern Wisconsin. Heavy snow and gusty winds will produce areas of
blowing and drifting snow and possible blizzard conditions Sunday into
Monday. Hazardous travel and road closures are expected late Saturday into
early next week. Strong Winds and heavy, wet snow on trees and power lines
may result in tree damage and power outages. Blustery wind gusts in excess
of 50 mph on Sunday may result in power outages, blowing dust that results
in reduced visibility and damage to property.There are severe and fire weather concerns within the warm sector of this
dynamic system. There’s a Slight Risk of Severe Thunderstorms (level 2/5)
across parts of Kansas and Oklahoma on Saturday, where large hail and a
few tornadoes will be the main threats. Strong southwesterly flow
beginning today will support an elevated fire weather threat over far
western Texas. Rapid cyclogenesis and strengthening of the Plains winter
storm will lead to increased dry southwesterly flow into the
Central/Southern High Plains behind a well-defined dry line on Saturday.
These conditions will support a Critical Fire Weather threat on Saturday.