Extended Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
153 PM EST Fri Nov 20 2020
Valid 12Z Mon Nov 23 2020 - 12Z Fri Nov 27 2020
...Overview and Guidance Evaluation...
The latest runs of the models and their ensemble means have shown
improvement with the degree of spread within the wave that crosses
through the central U.S. into the East. The preferred blend for
this issuance leaned a little heavier with the 00Z ECWMF through
time but also included the 00Z CMC/ECWMF ensemble mean and the 06Z
GFS. There are still some uncertainties to work out in the coming
days.
...Sensible Weather and Hazards...
Scattered to widespread precipitation is expected to organize over
portions of the Plains and the Mississippi/Tennessee/Ohio Valleys
before moving into the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Most of
the precipitation should fall as rain, but northern portions of
the moisture shield should contain some snow and wintry mix. For
Tuesday-Thursday, there is an increasing signal for a separated
southern stream shortwave trough/low aloft and surface low
pressure system to produce an episode of meaningful precipitation
from the Southern Rockies/Plains northeastward through the East,
Expect some snow will be possible this period from the upper
Midwest to the upper Great Lakes under more northern stream
impulse influence.
Over the Northwest, it remains the case that progressive but
energetic flow aloft will promote a wet period as a series of
fronts approach/reach the region. There is good continuity for
persistence of rain and higher elevation snow with highest totals
over Coastal and Cascade Ranges and a secondary maximum into the
Rockies. The supporting trough energies aloft early next weak may
be followed by more flow separated/amplified systems mid-later
next week that could dig organized precipitation into California,
the Great Basin and then the Southwest.
Campbell/Schichtel
Additional 3-7 Day Hazards information can be found on the WPC
medium range hazards chart at:
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/threats/threats.php
WPC medium range 500mb heights, surface systems, weather grids,
quantitative precipitation, winter weather outlook probabilities
and heat indices are at:
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/medr/5dayfcst500_wbg.gif
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/medr/5dayfcst_wbg_conus.gif
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/5km_grids/5km_gridsbody.html
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/qpf/day4-7.shtml
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/wwd/pwpf_d47/pwpf_medr.php?day=4
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/heat_index.shtml