Extended outlooks are more general in nature than the daily short term forecasts. Beyond a week, there is often significant uncertainty in the location and intensity of specific weather events. I will note where there is less, or greater, confidence than normal in these extended outlooks.
For more information, check out the latest weather animations.
Here is the latest short term weather forecast.
- Up to five separate storms will impact the West Coast over the next 10 days. Several will bring rain as far south as San Diego.
- The East remains relatively dry and unseasonably mild.
- Hints of another pattern change coming with a cool-down in the East and (slight) chance (very tentative) for some snow a few days before Christmas. I will update on Wednesday.
Outlook for Tuesday – Thursday 14-16 December:
— Tuesday: Heavy rain and mountain snows in CA. Snow spreads across the Great Basin and into the Northern Rockies.
— Wednesday: Next storm approaches the WA/OR coast bringing more rain and snow.
— Developing storm over the Western Plains produces heavy snow moves across the Central Rockies. This storm strengthens rapidly and moves to Lake Superior by Wednesday night.
— Expect high winds across the Central Plains into the Upper Midwest and heavy snow to the north of the storm track.
— Thursday: More rain and snow for OR and CA. Rain over the Ohio Valley and Northeast, but temperatures remain mild.
Outlook for Friday – Sunday 17-19 December:
— Friday: Next storm moves into WA/OR by Friday evening.
— Rain and thunderstorms break out from TX to PA Friday night.
— Saturday: Rain and thunderstorms move through the East Southeast and Gulf Coast, while snow moves into the Northern Rockies.
— Slight / low confidence chance of some snow for the interior northeast Saturday and Saturday night. But the odds are not great.
— Sunday night: Low pressure forms in the Deep South with heavy rain and some thunderstorms.
Here are the temperature, precipitation and snowfall outlooks for Tuesday – Sunday 14-19 December
Average temperature difference, relative to normal, Tuesday – Saturday 14-18 December 
Percentage of precipitation, relative to normal, through Sunday 19 December. Red and brown is drier than normal; green and blue is wetter than normal. 
Snowfall amounts through Sunday 19 December. Note how little snow is forecast east of the Mississippi while the Sierras get 4+ feet. 
High winds forecast for the central Rockies and Central Plains on Wednesday 15 December.
Here is the temperature and precipitation outlooks for Saturday – Wednesday 18-22 December
Here is the temperature and precipitation outlooks for Monday – Sunday 20-26 December
