Travel & RV Weather Extended Outlook updated p.m. Sunday 16 January (updated Monday 17th)

Updated to include growing possibility of a East Coast snowstorm Friday – Saturday 21-22 January

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.

Don’t miss a forecast update! Sign up here to get the latest forecasts and outlooks delivered to your inbox daily!

(New) Growing chance for another East Coast snow and ice storm Friday – Saturday 21st – 22nd.
The temperature pattern of colder than normal weather in the East and average to above average temperatures in the West looks to continue through the rest of January.
Reinforcing cold air comes into the Northern Plains, then the East starting Thursday, continuing through Saturday.
Pacific storms remain north of California.

Outlook for Tuesday – Thursday 18-20 January:

— On Tuesday, expect strong winds and lake effect snows over the Northeast.

— Fast moving low pressure on the MN/Canadian border moves quickly into the Great Lakes.

— Wednesday sees the return of a strong Pacific storm impacting WA and OR, with snow moving into the northern Rockies on Thursday.

— The Great Lakes low pressure moves into the St. Lawrence Valley and brings rain from the TX/LA border northeast to Pittsburgh PA.

— By Thursday, the rain and cold front move off the East Coast. The front and associated rain showers hang over the southeast and northern FL.

Outlook for Friday – Sunday 21-23 January:

— New: Growing chance of another East Coast Snowstorm this Friday & Saturday. Once again there is icing potential in the Carolinas. Initial indications are this storm would be a snow event for the major coastal cities from Washington DC to Boston. Development of this storm is far from a ‘sure thing’, but one of the more reliable models is now consistently forecasting this storm. It is far too soon to speculate on snowfall amounts. Next update will be in the Wednesday Extended Forecast.

— On Friday, low pressure develops over the Dakotas, bringing snow to the Northern Plains.

— Snow also on Friday for WY, UT and CO. Strong winds blow across the Northern High Plains of the Dakotas, MT, and WY.

— On Saturday, the low pressure and associated snows move into the Midwest.

— Saturday also brings snow to NM

— On Sunday, expect some rain in south TX and FL.

Here are the temperature, precipitation and snowfall outlooks for Tuesday – Sunday 18-23 January

Average temperature difference, relative to normal, Tuesday – Saturday 18-22 January
Percentage of precipitation, relative to normal, through Sunday 23 January. Red and brown is drier than normal; green and blue is wetter than normal.
The west remains drier than normal. Much of the precipitation in the East came from the weekend nor’easter.
Snowfall amounts through Sunday 23 January. Mid-Atlantic snow totals are projections of the coming weekend’s potential storm.
High temperatures Thursday 20 January, showing the next arctic outbreak coming southward from Canada.