Locally Heavy Rain in the Southeast; Coastal Storm Forms This Weekend

Temperatures across the eastern U.S. will recover during the next couple of days but they will remain below average. Rain along the Gulf Coast will head to the Southeast by the weekend with increasing winds. Good chance of snows across the Great Lakes through Friday while rain moves onshore into the Pacific Northwest.

Forecast for Thursday, November 14, 2019

The early season arctic outbreak that has brought widespread record cold temperatures across the eastern two-thirds of the country will begin to ease it grip today as the associated arctic high pressure system moves east of New England. Nevertheless, more record low temperatures are expected from the Mid-Atlantic into the Northeast this morning with actual temperatures dipping into the single digits in interior New England. Temperatures will recover across the eastern U.S. for the next couple of days but readings will remain below average for November.

For the Deep South, a compact upper-level vortex arriving from northern Mexico will bring a good chance of rain along the Gulf Coast today as a coastal front begins to form. The rain associated with this system is expected to spread quickly eastward into the southeastern U.S. The interaction between the upper vortex and the coastal front will result in the formation of a low pressure system over the eastern Gulf of Mexico by this evening. By Friday morning, the storm could be intensifying more rapidly as it moves northeastward just off the southeast U.S. coast. Uncertainty remains high regarding the forecast track and intensity of this storm but the southeast U.S. coast will likely see increasing northeast winds together with moderate to heavy rainfall on Friday, possibly lingering into Saturday.

A relatively weak frontal system of Pacific origin will bring a good chance of snow across the Great Lakes today. Another cold front arriving from Canada will bring a renewed round of snow into the upper Great Lakes early on Friday. Interior New England will see snow showers lingering into Saturday.

In the West, above average temperatures and dry weather will expand eastward into the northern and central High Plains by Friday. In the mean time, moisture will stream onshore into the Pacific Northwest, impacting areas from extreme northwestern California through western Washington with rain through Friday. The precipitation will then penetrate further inland into the northern Rockies by Friday night into Saturday morning with rain in the lower elevations and wet snow over the higher elevations.

Kong