Dry North, Showers South

General Overview: ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN ACROSS THE NATION WITH RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS SPREADING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST AND GULF COAST REGIONS, WHILE MIXED PRECIPITATION AFFECTS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND PACIFIC NORTHWEST. HURRICANE MELISSA CONTINUES TO TRACK THROUGH THE CARIBBEAN, WHILE POST-TROPICAL STORM SONIA MOVES WESTWARD IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC. TEMPERATURE CONTRASTS WILL BE SIGNIFICANT WITH ABOVE NORMAL READINGS IN THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND BELOW NORMAL CONDITIONS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST BY MIDWEEK.

EAST: A low pressure system will bring widespread rain and thunderstorms to the Southeast and Gulf Coast regions through Tuesday. This precipitation will expand northward into the Mid-Atlantic and parts of the Northeast by midweek. As the system evolves, an area of low pressure will develop off the East Coast by Wednesday, bringing additional rainfall to coastal areas. By Thursday, the low pressure center will move northeastward with an occluded front developing, maintaining precipitation across much of the Eastern Seaboard. The Southeast will experience the heaviest rainfall amounts, particularly across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, where thunderstorms are possible. Increasing rain chances and breezes are likely across the Northeast by the end of the week as well. 
By Friday, high pressure will build into the Southeast, bringing drier conditions as the coastal low moves further offshore.

Temperature Anomalies:

-Days 1-3: Near normal temperatures for most areas with slightly below normal readings along the immediate coast. Florida will experience slightly above normal temperatures ahead of the approaching front.

-Days 4-6: Below normal temperatures spreading across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic as cooler air filters in behind the frontal passage. Temperatures 3-6 degrees below normal will be common across this region.

-Days 7-10: Continued below normal temperatures across the Southeast gradually moderating by day 10, with only slight negative anomalies remaining along the coastal Carolinas and Georgia.

CENTRAL: A frontal boundary will move through the Central Plains on Monday and Tuesday, bringing rain to portions of Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas. This system will shift eastward, with rain and thunderstorms developing across Missouri, Arkansas, and parts of the Midwest by Tuesday evening. As the low pressure system strengthens, precipitation will expand across the Mississippi Valley and into the Ohio Valley by Wednesday. An occluded front will develop by midweek across the central portions of the country, maintaining precipitation chances. The system will gradually move eastward, with high pressure building into the Southern Plains by late week, bringing drier conditions. Some thunderstorm activity is possible along the Gulf Coast states as the system progresses eastward.

Temperature Anomalies:

-Days 1-3: Significantly above normal temperatures across the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, with anomalies of 6-12 degrees above normal in parts of North Dakota and Montana. Near normal temperatures elsewhere.

-Days 4-6: Cooling trend begins with below normal temperatures spreading across the Southern Plains and lower Mississippi Valley. Above normal temperatures persist in the Northern Plains but begin to moderate.

-Days 7-10: Generally near normal temperatures return to most of the Central US, with slightly above normal readings developing across the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest by the end of the period.

WEST: High pressure will dominate the Southwest initially, while a frontal system brings mixed precipitation to the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies. Areas of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Washington will experience a mix of rain and snow through Monday. By Tuesday, another low pressure system approaches the Pacific Northwest, bringing additional precipitation to coastal areas of Washington and Oregon. The Northern Rockies will continue to see mixed precipitation through midweek. High pressure will remain over much of the Southwest, keeping conditions dry across California, Nevada, and Arizona. By late week, precipitation chances decrease across the Northwest as high pressure builds in, though some lingering moisture may affect the higher elevations of the Northern Rockies.

Temperature Anomalies:

-Days 1-3: Below normal temperatures across the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies, with anomalies of 3-6 degrees below normal. Above normal temperatures across the Southwest, particularly in southern California and Arizona.

-Days 4-6: Warming trend begins across the Northwest while above normal temperatures persist in the Southwest. Most areas trending toward near normal by day 6.

-Days 7-10: Above normal temperatures spreading across most of the Western US, with anomalies of 3-6 degrees above normal becoming widespread, particularly in the Great Basin and Southwest. Warmest anomalies in parts of Nevada, Utah, and Idaho.

TROPICAL: Hurricane Melissa is currently located in the Caribbean Sea and poses a significant threat to surrounding areas such as Jamaica. The system is expected to maintain hurricane strength as it tracks through the region. Meanwhile, Post-Tropical Storm Sonia is located in the eastern Pacific, having already transitioned to a post-tropical system. No additional tropical development is indicated in either basin over the next seven days based on the available information.