Atmospheric Rivers

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
Tue Mar 05 2024
Valid 12Z Tue Mar 05 2024 – 12Z Thu Mar 07 2024

…A wet weather pattern for large areas to the east of the Mississippi
River…

…Heavy higher elevation snows continue for northern portions of the West
Tuesday with improving conditions by Wednesday…

…Much above average temperatures expected for much of the lower 48 to
the east of the Rockies over the next few days…

Widespread showers and thunderstorms bringing areas of moderate rainfall
continue this morning along a slow-moving cold front stretching from the
Great Lakes into the Middle and Lower Mississippi Valley. Storm chances
will shift into the Lower Great Lakes southwestward through the Ohio and
Tennessee Valleys through the day Tuesday as the front makes some eastward
progress. To the south, another frontal boundary along the Gulf Coast will
lift northward, bringing with it additional Gulf moisture and storm
chances into the Southeast. A wave of low pressure is expected to develop
along the boundary overnight Tuesday as the system shifts northeastward
into the Carolinas. More widespread moderate to locally heavy rainfall is
expected through the region with an isolated threat of flash flooding.
Meanwhile, a coastal low in the Mid-Atlantic will continue northward
bringing light to moderate showers from the Mid-Atlantic into New England
Tuesday. By Wednesday, the low pressure system over the Southeast will
begin to better organize and shift northeastward along the coast towards
the Mid-Atlantic/New England. The frontal system over the Great Lakes will
move eastward into the Northeast as well, helping to focus a renewed round
of heavier showers along a northeastward axis from the coastal
Mid-Atlantic through New England. A Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall
(level 2/5) is in place for portions of southern New England where the
heaviest rainfall will overlap wet antecedent conditions and areas with
higher stream flows, which may result in some scattered instances of flash
flooding. Some wintry precipitation may mix in north of the cold front
over northern New England overnight Wednesday.

One more day of heavy higher elevation/mountain snows continues in the
West as an energetic jet stream sits over a quasi-stationary boundary and
an influx of Pacific moisture focused through northern California and the
southern Pacific Northwest into the northern Great Basin and Rockies.
Several more inches of snow are forecast in the regional mountain ranges
from the southern Cascades and northern Sierra east to the Tetons in
Wyoming. Colder air settling in with the front has brought snow levels
lower, bringing snow to interior lower elevation valley locations as well
from southern Oregon into western Idaho. Another Pacific storm system
dropping southward along the California Coast will help to shift the
influx of Pacific moisture southward by Wednesday, finally bringing
improving conditions as snowfall tapers off. Along the coast, some
locally heavy rainfall is expected Tuesday for northern California,
shifting southward with the system into southern California Wednesday.
Here, more sensitive conditions due to recent high profile rainfall events
may lead to an isolated but nonzero threat of flash flooding.

Elsewhere, an upper-level shortwave will help to deepen/better organize a
low pressure/frontal system lingering over the Northern Plains Wednesday,
leading to increasing precipitation chances. Some accumulating snowfall
looks possible along the Canadian border from northern North Dakota into
northern Minnesota by early Thursday. Further south, another organizing
frontal system will also bring increasing precipitation chances to the
Central and Southern Plains, with some showers and thunderstorms forecast
overnight Wednesday into early Thursday.

High temperatures will remain well above average by 10-20 degrees for the
lower 48 east of the Rockies through midweek. Some even greater anomalies
will be found in the Upper Ohio Valley/Lower Great Lakes Tuesday as
temperatures once again reach into the 70s, 25-35 degrees above average.
The cold front passing through by Wednesday will make temperatures
relatively cooler, but still above average, with highs in the upper 40s to
low 60s. The warmest temperatures will be found along the western Gulf
Coast into southern Texas with highs in the mid-80s to low 90s. A few
daily record-tying/breaking highs may be reached in both locations.
Otherwise, along the East Coast, forecast highs range between the 40s and
50s in New England, 50s and 60s in the Mid-Atlantic, 60s and 70s for the
Southeast, and 70s and 80s into Florida. For central portions of the
country, highs will be in the 40s and 50s for the Northern Plains/Upper
Midwest, 50s and 60s from the Central Plains through the Middle
Mississippi Valley and into the Lower Ohio Valley, and the 60s and 70s for
the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley. In the West, highs will
remain near or below average as mean troughing remains in place, with
temperatures ranging from the 20s and 30s for the Northern
Rockies/adjacent High Plains, 30s and 40s for the Great Basin and Pacific
Northwest, 50s and 60s for California, and 60s and 70s in the Southwest.

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

Above is a 72 hour animation of the forecast. 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.

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
312 AM EST Mon Mar 04 2024
Valid 12Z Mon Mar 04 2024 – 12Z Wed Mar 06 2024

…Increasing shower and thunderstorm chances ahead of a slow moving cold
front through the Midwest, Mississippi Valley, and Southern Plains Monday,
and the Ohio Valley and Southeast Tuesday…

…Another coastal storm is forecast to bring a new round of rain to the
Mid-Atlantic Monday and New England Tuesday…

…Weather remains unsettled for northern portions of the West with
additional very heavy snowfall expected for higher mountain elevations…

…Much above average, Spring-like temperatures for much of the
central/eastern U.S.; wildfire threat remains elevated Monday for the
southern High Plains…

An almost quasi-stationary cold front extending southwestward from the
Great Lakes into the central/southern Plains will make slow progress
through the day Monday as ridging remains in place to the East. The
stagnant pattern will allow for additional moist return flow from the Gulf
today that will bring increasing shower and thunderstorm chances across
portions of the Midwest, Mississippi Valley, and Southern Plains compared
to Sunday, especially by Monday night. Some moderate to locally heavy
rainfall is possible along with an isolated threat for some severe
thunderstorms. Greater moisture closer to the central/western Gulf Coast
may lead to some more intense downpours from eastern Texas into the Lower
Mississippi Valley, with an isolated threat for flash flooding. A
relatively greater threat for a few more scattered instances of flash
flooding will exist over southeastern Louisiana where the combination of
repeated, back-building thunderstorms producing heavy downpours exists,
and a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall (level 2/5) has been introduced
for the area. The front will begin to make faster eastward progress by
Tuesday, bringing shower and thunderstorm chances into the Ohio/Tennessee
Valleys and Southeast. The chances for heavier rainfall will follow a
similar pattern for Monday, with more moderate rainfall for northern
locations and a greater chance for locally heavier rainfall and an
isolated instance or two of flash flooding from the Lower Mississippi
Valley into the Southeast. A Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall will also
remain in effect for southeastern Louisiana as storms linger. To the east,
another coastal low pressure system is expected to deepen/better organize
along the Carolina coast Monday, bringing increasing shower chances
spreading northward into the Mid-Atlantic Monday and New England Tuesday.
Some moderate to locally heavy rainfall will be possible, particularly for
coastal locations of the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic Monday.

An energetic upper-level jet stream and another low pressure/frontal
system approaching the West Coast will keep unsettled weather in place
over northern portions of the West the next couple of days. Additional
heavy higher elevation, mountain snowfall is expected over the southern
Cascades into the northern Sierra through Monday. Moisture spreading
inland will help enhance snowfall over portions of the northern Great
Basin Monday and into the northern Rockies Tuesday as well, particularly
for southern Idaho into western Wyoming. Snowfall will also linger into
the northern Cascades and central Rockies through Monday with generally
lighter amounts expected away from the influx of greater moisture. While
most of the accumulating snowfall should be limited to higher elevations,
portions of southern Oregon in particular will likely see at least a few
inches for inland lower elevation/valley locations as colder air pushes
southward and snow levels lower. Some moderate to locally heavy rainfall
is expected for coastal locations of the Pacific Northwest/northern
California, particularly near the California/Oregon border.

Widespread much above average, Spring-like high temperatures will persist
across the central/eastern U.S. to start the upcoming work week. The
greatest anomalies of 25-35 degrees will focus on the middle Mississippi
Valley northeastward into the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley Monday. Numerous
daily record-tying/breaking highs are possible as temperatures reach into
the 70s for most locations. The cold front pushing through the Midwest
will bring temperatures down into the 50s and 60s for the middle
Mississippi Valley into the upper Great Lakes Tuesday, though still above
average. Forecast highs range in the 70s and 80s for the southern Plains
Monday and Tuesday. Persistently dry conditions accompanied by lee
troughing and gusty winds will keep the threat for wildfires elevated
along portions of the southern High Plains according to the Storm
Prediction Center at least through Monday. Along the East Coast, highs are
forecast to range between the 40s and 50s for New England, 50s and 60s for
the Mid-Atlantic, and 70s to low 80s for the Southeast/Florida. In the
West, highs will remain cooler and below average, ranging from the 30s and
40s in the Pacific Northwest and much of the Interior West, 50s in
northern/central California, 60s in southern California, and 60s and 70s
into the Desert Southwest. The coldest spot in the country will be in the
northern Rockies/adjacent High Plains, where highs will be in the teens
and 20s.

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

Above is a 72 hour animation of the forecast. 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.

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
300 AM EST Sat Mar 02 2024

Valid 12Z Sat Mar 02 2024 – 12Z Mon Mar 04 2024

…Winter storm continues this weekend in the West with heavy mountain
snow, widespread damaging winds, and powerful blizzard conditions in the
Sierra Nevada…

…Wintry mix for portions of the Northern Plains with some moderate to
locally heavy snow possible…

…A coastal storm will bring widespread rain up the East Coast through
Saturday…

…Much above average, Spring-like temperatures expanding from the
Plains/Midwest into the Northeast this weekend with Critical Fire Weather
threat for the central/southern High Plains…

A significant winter storm continues to impact much of the West, including
dangerous, blizzard conditions for the Sierra Nevada as an amplifying
upper-level trough forces its way into the western U.S. A multi-day influx
of moisture from the Pacific interacting with colder air pushing southward
from Canada is bringing heavy higher elevation, mountain snows across most
of the ranges of the Pacific Northwest, northern/central California, the
Great Basin, and the northern/central Rockies. There is at least a
moderate chance (40-60% probability) of an additional 12″+ of snowfall
through the end of the weekend. In addition, widespread wind-related
advisories and warnings remain in effect across much of the greater
western U.S. as wind gusts reach upwards of 55 mph, with gusts as high as
75 mph for higher elevations, leading to the risk of downed trees and
power lines. The combination of snow and high winds is most intense in the
Sierra Nevada, where heavy snow rates exceeding 3″ per hour and winds
gusting over 100 mph are causing significant blowing, drifting snow and
whiteout conditions, making travel impossible through the area. The most
intense snow and wind should begin to wind down through the day Sunday.
High temperatures will be below average this weekend with the colder
airmass moving in, with highs in the teens and 20s for the Northern
Rockies; 30s and 40s for the Pacific Northwest, northern California, the
Great Basin, and central Rockies; 50s for central California; and 60s for
southern California. Temperatures will be warmer into the Southwest with
highs in the 70s.

Falling heights as the amplifying trough begins to shift eastward over the
northern High Plains will help to deepen/organize a low pressure/frontal
system during the day Saturday. This system is forecast to track east into
the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes Sunday. Limited moisture ahead of the system
will keep precipitation chances rather low. However, in the colder air to
the north/northwest of the system, enough moisture will be in place for a
wintry mix of freezing rain and snow across portions of the Northern
Plains. Some moderate to locally heavy snowfall will be possible along the
Canadian border. Winds will likely also be rather breezy, with the
potential for some blowing snow. To the east, a low pressure/frontal
system lifting up the East Coast will continue to spread showers through
the Mid-Atlantic and into New England Saturday bringing moderate to
locally heavy rainfall, particularly for coastal locations. Some showers
and thunderstorms will remain possible along the frontal boundary
lingering southwestward along the coastal Southeast, Florida, and the
central Gulf Coast. Rain chances will come down overnight Saturday and
into early Sunday as the system pushes eastward away from the coast.

Widespread well above average, Spring-like temperatures are forecast to
continue for much of the Plains and Midwest this weekend. The greatest
anomalies will be centered over portions of the central/northern Plains
and Upper Midwest Saturday, spreading into the Great Lakes and Middle
Mississippi/Ohio Valleys on Sunday, where forecast highs reaching well
into the 60s and 70s are upwards of 25-35 degrees above average. Some
highs may tie/break local daily records. Further south, highs will be into
the 70s and 80s for the Southern Plains. Unfortunately, the combination of
these warm temperatures along with gusty winds and dry conditions have
resulted in another Critical Risk of Fire Weather (level 2/3) from the
Storm Prediction Center for portions of the central and southern High
Plains. The warming trend will spread into the Northeast on Sunday
following the departure of the coastal low, with highs warming into the
40s and 50s in New England and the 50s and 60s in the Mid-Atlantic. While
not quite as anomalous, highs across the Southeast into the 60s and 70s
are still running above early March averages.

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

Above is a 72 hour animation of the forecast. 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.

In case you missed it, this is the updated forecast for March and how it impacts the three-month Outlook.

Please click on “Read More” below to access the full Daily Report issued today.