Weather

An active pattern ahead for the Heartland

During the next 5 days, mild weather will cover many parts of the country. The warmest weather, relative to normal, will occur across the nation’s mid-section. Cool conditions will linger, however, in parts of the eastern U.S., while colder air will overspread the West during the weekend. Widespread precipitation will precede and accompany the cold surge, starting in the Northwest and eventually spreading inland and southward. Five-day precipitation totals could reach 4 to 8 inches in northern California and the Pacific Northwest. Elsewhere, generally dry weather will cover the central and southern Plains and the mid-South, but rainfall could reach 2 to 4 inches across Florida’s peninsula. In the Great Lakes region, a trio of fast-moving storms could lead to heavy snow accumulations, especially late in the weekend.

Looking ahead, the 6- to 10-day outlook calls for near- to below-normal temperatures across the western and central U.S., while warmer-than-normal weather will be confined to the eastern one-third of the U.S. Meanwhile, wetter-than-normal conditions will cover the entire nation, except for below-normal precipitation in the south-central U.S.

5-Day Precipitation Totals

NOAA’s 6- to 10- Day Outlook

NOAA’s 8- to 14- Day Outlook