Temperatures Moderate Today

General Overview: SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER IMPACTS EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER WITH HEAVY SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN POSSIBLE IN THE UPPER MIDWEST AND NORTHERN PLAINS. PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM BRINGING RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW TO THE WEST COAST. TEMPERATURES WILL TREND WELL ABOVE NORMAL ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PLAINS INTO THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY, WHILE BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES PERSIST IN THE NORTHEAST.

EAST:
High pressure will dominate the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions through Sunday, providing generally dry conditions. By Monday, a developing low pressure system over the Great Lakes will push eastward, bringing precipitation chances to parts of the region. The most significant concern develops Tuesday into Wednesday as a system moves through the Great Lakes and into the Northeast, bringing potential for freezing rain across portions of Michigan and the interior Northeast. Some snow is possible across northern New England. By Thursday, another system approaches from the south, bringing rain to the coastal areas and a wintry mix further inland. The Ohio Valley and Appalachians may see periods of mixed precipitation as the cold air remains entrenched in these regions.

Temperature Anomalies:
-Days 1-3: Below normal temperatures across the Northeast and northern Mid-Atlantic, with readings 6-12 degrees below normal, especially in New England.
-Days 4-6: Moderating temperatures with near normal to slightly above normal readings spreading eastward, though northern New England remains cooler than average.
-Days 7-10: Significant warming trend with temperatures climbing to 6-12 degrees above normal across much of the region, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England.

CENTRAL:
A complex weather pattern will affect the Central U.S. over the next several days. A frontal boundary extending from the Northern Plains through the Midwest will be the focus for winter precipitation Sunday into Monday. Areas of Minnesota and the Dakotas face the threat of heavy snow and possible freezing rain, creating hazardous travel conditions. By Tuesday, low pressure develops over the Upper Midwest, bringing an increased threat of freezing rain to portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. This system will track eastward through midweek. Meanwhile, the Southern Plains will remain mostly dry under high pressure influence. By Thursday, a new system develops in the Southern Plains, bringing rain and thunderstorms northeastward into the Mississippi Valley.

Temperature Anomalies:
-Days 1-3: Significant temperature contrast with below normal temperatures across the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest (6-12 degrees below normal) while the Southern Plains experiences above normal temperatures (6-12 degrees above normal).
-Days 4-6: Warming trend spreads northward with much above normal temperatures (8-15 degrees above normal) across the entire Central Plains into the Mississippi Valley and Ohio Valley.
-Days 7-10: Continued above normal temperatures across most of the region, gradually moderating by day 10 but still remaining 3-6 degrees above normal across the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest.

WEST:
An active weather pattern will continue across the Western U.S. with multiple systems affecting the region. Pacific moisture will bring periods of rain to coastal areas of Washington, Oregon, and Northern California, with snow in the higher elevations of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada. A low pressure system off the Pacific Northwest coast will drive precipitation inland through Monday. By Tuesday, high pressure builds briefly over the Intermountain West before another system approaches the Pacific Northwest by midweek. The Southwest will remain mostly dry with only isolated mountain snow showers across the higher terrain of Utah, Colorado, and northern Arizona.

Temperature Anomalies:
-Days 1-3: Above normal temperatures across much of the West, particularly the Rockies and Great Basin where temperatures will be 6-12 degrees above normal. Near normal along the immediate Pacific coast.
-Days 4-6: Continued above normal temperatures for most areas, though some cooling occurs in the Pacific Northwest as the next system approaches.
-Days 7-10: Temperatures trend closer to normal for most areas, with slightly below normal readings possible in parts of California and the Southwest, while above normal temperatures persist across the Northern Rockies.

TROPICAL:
No tropical cyclone activity is expected during the next 7 days in either the Atlantic or Eastern Pacific basins.