Prognostic Meteorological Discussion
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
004 FXUS01 KWBC 152010 PMDSPD Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 300 PM EST Sat Nov 15 2025 Valid 00Z Sun Nov 16 2025 - 00Z Tue Nov 18 2025 ...Additional heavy rainfall likely with dangerous flooding and debris flows possible for parts of southern California in this evening followed by a second round of moisture into northern and central California on Sunday night into Monday... ...Well above-normal to record-breaking warmth across Texas into early next week... ...Wintry mix across northern New York and interior New England, with several inches of snow in the higher elevations tonight into Sunday... A vigorous and slow-moving cyclone is currently bringing a robust surge of subtropical moisture with strong onshore winds and the heaviest rainfall into the southern half of California. The Weather Prediction Center (WPC) is maintaining a Moderate Risk (Level 3 of 4) for excessive rainfall, the second-highest category, centered over coastal southern California. Additional rainfall totals of 2 to 3 inches can be expected, pushing storm totals to over 6 inches especially along the Transverse Ranges. Numerous flash floods and debris flows will likely to impact southern to central California into this evening, especially for burn scar and other vulnerable areas in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. Meanwhile, the eastern edge of the heavy rain has reached southern Nevada and is edging into western Arizona. The main axis of heavy rainfall will slowly begin to shift east and subside late tonight as the associated upper-level low weakens and tracks inland, spreading widespread precipitation across the Great Basin, the Southwest, and then the central and southern Rockies for the remainder of the weekend. Meanwhile, a second surge of moisture associated with the next Pacific frontal system will quickly reach central and northern California beginning late Sunday and continuing into Monday. While moisture values are expected to be less impressive, this next system will bring additional rounds of precipitation with embedded thunderstorms, renewing the threat for at least isolated flooding concerns. This second system will also usher in colder air, driving snow levels down significantly over the northern Sierra Nevada by Monday morning. Wet snow will likely accumulate in earnest as the day progresses on Monday. Meanwhile, scattered showers are expected to expand across the remainder of California into western Nevada and central Arizona on Monday, along with embedded thunderstorms especially ahead of the main cold front. Also on Monday, wet snow is forecast to reach western Wyoming and portions of the Colorado Rockies. Further east, a large area of unseasonably warm air remains out ahead of a strong cold front moving through the central and eastern U.S. As the cold front advances quickly through these areas, a low pressure system is forecast to develop and intensify, and track through the Great Lakes this evening then through the Northeast on Sunday. Ahead of this system, a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain is developing over portions of northern New York and New England this afternoon and will likely continue into Sunday, with several inches of accumulating snow expected in some of the higher elevations. As the system lifts out into the Canadian Maritimes late Sunday, colder air from Canada in its wake will produce the next chance of organized lake-effect snow showers downwind of the Great Lakes. Meanwhile, blustery and colder conditions will expand across much of the Great Lakes, Northeast, and into the Mid-Atlantic Sunday and Monday. In contrast, well above-normal to record-breaking temperatures are forecast to persist over the Southern Plains into early next week as the trailing portion of the front begins to stall. Kong/Pereira Graphics available at https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php $$