668
FXUS01 KWBC 211914
PMDSPD

Short Range Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
214 PM EST Fri Feb 21 2025

Valid 00Z Sat Feb 22 2025 - 00Z Mon Feb 24 2025

...A widespread temperature warm up is on the way for most of the
nation...

...An atmospheric river will bring rain to the Pacific Northwest
into this weekend...

...Showers and thunderstorms are forecast along the western and
central Gulf Coast this weekend ...

Temperatures remain cold this afternoon as an Arctic high pressure
over the central U.S. remains present. However, a warm up will be
starting this weekend as a upper trough leaves the region and a
ridge spreads eastward from the western U.S. Still expect some
chilly mornings on Saturday and Sunday from the Ohio Valley to the
South as lows in the teens and 20s remain possible. The Gulf Coast
can expects lows in the middle 30s Saturday and Sunday. High
temperatures will remain roughly 5-15 degrees below average for
most of the eastern U.S. for the weekend, but will be much warmer
than the previous Arctic air mass as highs return to the 40s and
50s. Downsloping winds along and east of the Rockies will bring
the most significant warm up as temperatures rise into the 50s and
60s as far north as the Dakotas. The West coast will have some
highs in the 60s, 70s, and 80s across southern California, Nevada,
and Arizona.

An upper-level wave/accompanying Pacific frontal system will bring
additional lower elevation coastal/valley rain and some very high
elevation snow to the Pacific Northwest Saturday. Moderate to
locally heavy rainfall will be possible along upslope portions of
the Coastal Ranges and Cascades. Additional heavy rainfall is
expected to continue into Sunday and beyond into Monday as another
Pacific low pressure develops offshore. Overall, 3-5 inches of
rainfall could fall across the next 72 hours, with locally higher
amounts in mountain ranges. These rainfall amounts and some
snowmelt in areas of high elevation could lead to some flooding
and run-off issues. The Weather Prediction Center has much of the
Pacific Northwest under a Marginal Risk for Excessive Rainfall
from Saturday-Monday.

An area of low pressure will bring increasing shower and
thunderstorm chances to the western Gulf Coast into the weekend.
Rainfall should remain to about an inch or less, but the weekend
could be a soggy affair across eastern Texas and Louisiana. A weak
area of low pressure in the Gulf of America will then move
eastward toward the Florida peninsula by Monday and bring a chance
for showers and thunderstorms.


Wilder


Graphics available at
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/basicwx/basicwx_ndfd.php
$$