…Very Cold Winter temperatures continue from the Rockies to the East
Coast with a slow warm up anticipated heading into the weekend….
…Periods of lake-effect snow expected downwind of the Great Lakes with
some moderate accumulations possible…
…There is a Critical Risk of fire weather over parts of Southern
California Thursday…
Well below average, very cold temperatures will continue for most of the
country from the Rockies east to the East Coast the next couple of days,
with some of the most notable departures from average over the Southeast.
Forecast highs Thursday generally range from the teens and 20s for the
northern Plains and Midwest, the 20s and 30s from the Rockies and central
Plains east through the Ohio Valley to the Northeast, and the 30s and 40s
from the southern Plains east to the Southeast. Although winds have come
down compared to recent days, wind chills will still be quite frigid and
make temperatures feel around 10 degrees colder. Some of the more adverse
impacts from these temperatures will be for portions of the Gulf Coast and
Southeast where snow and ice linger on roads and keep travel hazardous
after the historic winter storm. It may take a few more days for these
road conditions to improve. Morning lows are also expected to drop below
freezing again Friday and Saturday along the Gulf Coast and into northern
Florida, keeping sensitive vegetation at risk. Conditions will moderate
some on Friday, especially for portions of the Plains where warm westerly
winds will bring temperatures up by 10-20 degrees and to average to above
average levels. Most areas will continue to slowly moderate into the
weekend.
A clipper system passing through the Great Lakes and into the Interior
Northeast/Appalachians will bring some snow showers Thursday. Some
moderate accumulations are possible with lake-effect snow bands for
favorable downwind locations of the Great Lakes. Another clipper system
following quickly in its wake will bring another round of light snow
showers to the northern Plains/Upper Midwest on Friday and the Great Lakes
again by Friday evening. To the west, passage of an upper-level
wave/surface cold front will bring some light to moderate snow showers to
the northern Rockies Thursday and into the central Rockies/eastern Great
Basin Friday.
Very gusty offshore Santa Ana winds will continue into the day Thursday
for Southern California, with gusts as high as 70 mph for some of the area
mountain ranges. These winds in combination with very low humidity and dry
antecedent conditions have prompted the Storm Prediction Center to
continue a Critical Risk of Fire Weather (level 2/3). Wind gusts are
expected to come down in strength heading into Friday, reducing the fire
risk, though an elevated threat will still exist given dry humidity and
conditions. Elsewhere in the West, conditions will be mostly dry with
generally at or above average temperatures. Forecast highs the next couple
of days range from the 30s and 40s in the Interior West and Pacific
Northwest and the 60s and 70s for California and the Desert Southwest.
Putnam
Graphics available at
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php
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