Extended Forecast Discussion
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
200 AM EST Thu Feb 11 2021
Valid 12Z Sun Feb 14 2021 - 12Z Thu Feb 18 2021
...Widespread record cold temperatures on Sunday across the Plains
and MS Valley will gradually moderate during next week...
...Stormy pattern will bring multiple wintry precipitation events
from coast to coast...
Models and ensembles continue to advertise a very active synoptic
pattern through the medium range period. Although the large dome
of arctic air over the mid-section of the country will gradually
moderate by early next week, a broad longwave trough will remain
in place across the Plains with back-to-back energetic systems
tracking from coast to coast around this trough.
The medium range period will start with a developing low pressure
system over the southern Rockies, bringing mixed precipitation to
the region while spreading snow into the central to southern
Plains on Sunday. All models have sped up the eastward progress
of this system with more snow spreading into the central High
Plains where many locations are forecast to experience record cold
sub-zero temperatures Sunday morning. As this system taps in Gulf
moisture, indications are that it will develop into a widespread
winter weather event from the southern Plains through the
Northeast Monday and Tuesday. The GFS has come into better
agreement with the ECMWF in bringing the storm up the East Coast
on Tuesday with a split storm center tracking up on either sides
of the Appalachians. On the other hand, the CMC continues to
favor an offshore track. Meanwhile, widespread moderate rain is
expected further south near the southeast U.S. coast into Florida
near a stationary front.
By the middle of next week, there is decent model agreement for
the next shortwave to develop into another low pressure system
near the Gulf Coast that will eventually track into the East
Coast. Although details are still elusive at this stage, it
appears that this system will bring another winter weather event
from the interior South moving toward the Northeast during the
middle of next week.
Meanwhile, the next Pacific system will likely bring the next
significant precipitation event into the Pacific Northwest on
Sunday. The moisture and upper-level energy will track well
inland, reaching into the central Rockies by Tuesday with
relatively consistent model timing thus far. Mountain snows are
expected from the Pacific Northwest to the central Rockies.
Energy ejecting into the southern Plains will be key to the
development of the aforementioned system tracking across the South
midweek.
The WPC medium-range forecast package was derived from a composite
blend of the 12Z ECMWF/EC ensemble mean, the 18Z GFS/GEFS,
together with a smaller contribution from the 12Z CMC/CMC mean and
the 01Z NBM. Mostly ensemble means were used on Days 6 and 7 given
the increasing model uncertainties.
Kong
Additional 3-7 Day Hazard information can be found on the WPC
medium range hazards outlook 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