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.
- A dynamic weather week ahead, with several significant and fast-moving storms..
- Becoming colder with more snow in the West.
- East remains abnormally warm with little snow.
- Wettest conditions will be over the Ohio River Valley.
Outlook for Tuesday – Thursday 7-9 December:
— Rain ends over CA on Tuesday.
— Next Pacific storm brings valley rain and mountain snows to the Northwest Tuesday night and Wednesday.
— On Wednesday, expect significant snows for the inter-mountain West.
— Some rain develops in the Southeast on Wednesday.
— On Thursday, the storm intensifies over the Southwest, bringing snow to the Great Basin, UT, WY and CO, and some rain to central and southern CA.
— Strong winds over the southwest Thursday and Friday.
— Scattered showers and rain also develop from the Gulf Coast northward to the Great Lakes.
Outlook for Friday – Sunday 10-12 December:
— Friday will break the snow drought for Denver and the Central Rockies. Snowstorm will move across the Plains and into the Upper Midwest.
— Unsettled weather for Friday with rain and showers east of the Mississippi River
— On Saturday, a major storm moves into the Pacific Northwest.
— Another significant storm brings rain and thunderstorms with a chance of severe weather, from the Gulf Coast, up the Ohio River Valley, to the Northeast.
— On Sunday, expect rain in the East with some snow and freezing rain in northern NY and northern New England.
— Continued rain in WA and OR with higher elevation snows.
— High winds return to the Northern Rockies and adjacent western High Plains over the weekend.
Here is the temperature and precipitation outlooks for Sunday – Friday 5-10 December
Average temperature difference, relative to normal, Sunday – Friday 5-10 December Percentage of precipitation, relative to normal, through Saturday 11 December. Red and brown is drier than normal; green and blue is wetter than normal.
Here is the temperature and precipitation outlooks for Saturday – Wednesday 11-15 December
Here is the temperature and precipitation outlooks for Monday – Sunday 13-19 December