US Day 3-7 Hazards Outlook
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
332 PM EDT Mon Mar 23 2020
 
Valid Thursday March 26 2020 - Monday March 30 2020
 
Hazards:
- Heavy precipitation across portions of the Olympic Peninsula, Fri-Sun, Mar 27-Mar 29.
- Heavy precipitation across portions of the Cascades of Washington State, Thu-Sun, Mar 26-Mar 29.
- Heavy rain across portions of the Ohio Valley, Thu-Fri, Mar 26-Mar 27.
- Flooding possible across portions of the central and southern Plains, the middle Mississippi 
Valley, and the Ohio Valley.
- Flooding occurring or imminent across portions of the lower and middle Mississippi Valley, the 
northern and southern Plains, the Southeast, and the Ohio Valley.
- Flooding likely across portions of the middle to upper Mississippi Valley and the Ohio Valley.
- Enhanced wildfire risk across portions of the central and southern High Plains into parts of the 
southern Rockies, Thu, Mar 26.
- Enhanced wildfire risk across portions of the the southern High Plains, Fri, Mar 27.
- Much below normal temperatures across much of northern Alaska, Fri, Mar 27.
- Much below normal temperatures across much of central and southern Alaska, Sat-Mon, Mar 28-Mar 30.
 
Detailed Summary:

During the medium-range period (Thursday 3/26 to Monday 3/30), a low pressure system is forecast to 
intensify over the central High Plains and then track generally toward the Great Lakes.  Although 
model guidance progressively slows down the forward speed of this system, its forecast track has 
been relatively consistent with bringing the core of cyclone across the Great Lakes.  This will 
lead to a threat of heavy rain along the Ohio Valley from Thursday night through Friday, possibly 
lingering into Saturday near and to the north of a stationary front.  Other than the threat of 
heavy rain, the intensifying low pressure system will also drive the dry Chinook winds down the 
eastern slopes of the central and southern Rockies.  This will raise the threat of fire weather for 
the central and southern High Plains on Thursday and Friday.

Over the Pacific Northwest, the next batch of moisture associated with a weakening Pacific occluded 
cyclone is forecast to arrive toward the end of this week.  This will increase the possibility of 
heavy snow for the higher elevations of the Cascades as well as the Olympic Peninsula in Washington 
State.  Some wintry precipitation is also expected for the higher elevations of the Great Basin 
into the central Rockies on Thursday.  However, the areas are too small to be included on the 
hazards chart.  Snow will also be likely over northern Idaho on Friday, tapering off some during 
the weekend.

In Alaska, a return to much colder than normal conditions is forecast to overspread Alaska from 
north to south during the medium-range period.  This is in response to a high amplitude upper air 
trough gradually pushing southward from the Arctic Ocean.  This will also lead to a gradual 
southward push of the general storm track from west to east across southern Alaska.  One such low 
pressure system is forecast to track across southwestern and southern Alaska late next week.  It 
appears that the snow will not be heavy enough to warrant a heavy snow area for this region at this 
time.

Kong