US Day 3-7 Hazards Outlook
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
315 PM EST Mon Feb 04 2019
 
Valid Thursday February 07 2019 - Monday February 11 2019
 
Hazards:
Heavy rain from the mid-Mississippi Valley to the Ohio Valley, Thu-Fri, Feb 7-Feb 8, and Sun-Mon, 
Feb 10-11.
Heavy snow from the upper Midwest to the upper Great Lakes Thu-Fri, Feb 7-Feb 8.
Flooding occurring or imminent south of Chicago, IL and south of Flagstaff, AZ.
High winds possible across portions of the Northern/Central Plains, the Upper Midwest, and into the 
lower Great Lakes, Thu-Fri, Feb 7-8.
Much below normal temperatures across portions of the northern Rockies, northern to central Plains, 
and into the upper Mississippi Valley, Thu-Mon, Feb 7-Feb 11.
Heavy Snow possible over portions of southwestern and northwestern Alaska, Fri, Feb 8.

 
Detailed Summary:

A synoptic pattern that favors mild temperatures along the East Coast and arctic air intrusion over 
the northern Plains will support a general storm track from the central Plains toward the Great 
Lakes through next Monday.  This will promote wintry weather from the northern Plains to the Great 
Lakes, and heavy rain from the Mid-Mississippi Valley to the Ohio Valley.  The first of such storms 
is expected to move from the Midwest into the Great Lakes on Thursday.  There appears to be enough 
model support for heavy snow to impact the upper Midwest into the upper Great Lakes through early 
on Friday, with a zone of freezing rain and sleet possible across the upper Midwest and central 
Great Lakes.  Arctic air from the Plains will then usher into the East Coast during the weekend.  
The combination of a strong arctic high pressure system building in behind the departing storm 
across the Great Lakes could bring high winds from the northern /central Plains eastward to the 
lower Great Lakes Thursday and Friday.  Much below normal temperatures will continue across the 
northern Plains through next Monday.  The arctic air will initially extend farther into the 
interior Pacific Northwest, northern Rockies, northern part of the central Plains and the upper 
Midwest Thursday and Friday.

Meanwhile, moisture surging northward from the Gulf of Mexico together with strong upper-level 
dynamics will support the possibility of heavy rain from the Mid-Mississippi Valley to the Ohio 
Valley Thursday and Friday as a strong cold front approaches.  Very mild temperatures will spread 
eastward from the lower and mid-Mississippi Valley into much of the eastern U.S. through Friday 
ahead of the cold front.  Another arctic front is forecast to form across the central Plains by 
next Friday into Saturday.  The next low pressure system will appear to develop along this arctic 
front next Sunday into Monday.  Southerly flow from the Gulf will once again bring increasing 
moisture and mild temperatures from the Gulf into the Deep South and Southeast.  The lower and 
mid-Mississippi Valley will once again appear to be the focus for another round of heavy rainfall 
ahead of the arctic cold front and the developing low pressure system.

The western U.S. should see heavy snow moving across the Sierra Nevada Friday night into the 
weekend as a couple of energetic upper troughs move across the southwestern U.S.  Temperatures will 
be colder than normal over much of the western U.S. through next Monday.

In Alaska, a weakening frontal system could bring heavy snow into portions of southwestern and 
northwestern Alaska on Friday.

Kong