Temperatures Falling
Cold air will continue to sink in from the north, with well below normal temperatures forecast for most by the end of the weekend.
General Overview: ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY WITH MIXED PRECIPITATION AND RAIN/THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE GULF COAST. PACIFIC NORTHWEST WILL SEE CONTINUED PRECIPITATION WHILE THE SOUTHWEST REMAINS DRY. SIGNIFICANT TEMPERATURE CONTRAST WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES IN THE MIDWEST AND NORTHEAST VERSUS ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE WESTERN STATES.
EAST: A frontal boundary will move through the Northeast on Saturday bringing mixed precipitation to portions of New England and the Mid-Atlantic. This system will push offshore by Sunday, with high pressure building in behind it. Rain and thunderstorms will affect the Gulf Coast and Southeast through the weekend, with Florida and coastal areas of Georgia and the Carolinas seeing the most persistent precipitation. By early next week, drier conditions will prevail across most of the Eastern region as high pressure dominates. The coastal areas may see some light precipitation returning by mid-week as the next system approaches from the west.
Temperature Anomalies:
-Days 1-3: Below normal temperatures across much of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, with departures of 3-6 degrees below normal. Near normal temperatures for the Southeast, with slightly above normal readings along the immediate Gulf Coast.
-Days 4-6: Moderating temperatures with below normal conditions persisting in the Northeast but less pronounced. Near normal temperatures returning to most of the region by day 6, with slightly above normal readings developing in the Southeast.
-Days 7-10: Warming trend continues with near to slightly above normal temperatures spreading across most of the Eastern region. The Southeast and Mid-Atlantic will see temperatures 3-6 degrees above normal by days 9-10.
CENTRAL: A significant weather pattern will affect the Central region through the weekend. Low pressure systems tracking through the region will bring mixed precipitation to the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest, with rain transitioning to the south. The potential for thunderstorms exists across portions of the Gulf Coast states and Texas. By Sunday into Monday, high pressure builds into the Midwest, bringing drier conditions. A new system will begin developing over the Northern Plains by Tuesday, with precipitation spreading eastward. This will bring another round of mixed precipitation to the northern portions of the region by midweek.
Temperature Anomalies:
-Days 1-3: Significantly below normal temperatures across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes, with departures of 6-12 degrees below normal. Near normal temperatures across the Southern Plains.
-Days 4-6: Cold anomalies begin to moderate across the Midwest but remain below normal. Warming trend begins across the Southern Plains with temperatures climbing to 3-6 degrees above normal.
-Days 7-10: Warming trend continues with above normal temperatures spreading northward. By days 9-10, much of the Central region will experience temperatures 6-12 degrees above normal, particularly across the Southern Plains and lower Mississippi Valley.
WEST: High pressure will dominate across much of the Southwest and Intermountain West, bringing dry conditions. Meanwhile, an active pattern continues in the Pacific Northwest with rain and mountain snow affecting Washington and Oregon. By Monday, a new system will approach the Northwest coast, bringing another round of precipitation. This system will spread inland by midweek, bringing precipitation to the Northern Rockies. The Southwest will remain largely dry throughout the period with high pressure maintaining control.
Temperature Anomalies:
-Days 1-3: Significantly above normal temperatures across much of the West, particularly in the Great Basin and Rockies where departures of 6-12 degrees above normal are expected. The Pacific Northwest will see more moderate temperature anomalies.
-Days 4-6: Continued above normal temperatures across the entire Western region, with the warmest anomalies (8-12 degrees above normal) focused on the Northern Rockies and Great Basin.
-Days 7-10: Persistent above normal temperatures continue across the West, with the warmest anomalies (8-12 degrees above normal) shifting slightly eastward into the Central Rockies and High Plains by the end of the period.
TROPICAL: No tropical cyclone activity is expected during the next 7 days in either the Atlantic or Eastern Pacific basins.