US Day 3-7 Hazards Outlook
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
404 PM EDT Thu Mar 26 2020
 
Valid Sunday March 29 2020 - Thursday April 02 2020
 
Hazards:
- Heavy precipitation across portions of California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Northern Great 
Basin, Sun-Mon, Mar 29-Mar 30.
- Heavy rain across portions of the Lower/Middle Mississippi Valley, the Central Appalachians, the 
Tennessee Valley, the Mid-Atlantic, the Southern Appalachians, the Southeast, the Southern Plains, 
and the Ohio Valley, Mon-Wed, Mar 30-Apr 1.
- Heavy snow across portions of the Northeast, Sun-Mon, Mar 29-Mar 30.
- Flooding possible across portions of the Middle Mississippi Valley and the Upper Mississippi 
Valley.
- Flooding occurring or imminent across portions of the Lower/Middle Mississippi Valley, the 
Northern Plains, the Tennessee Valley, the Southeast, the Southern Plains, and the Ohio Valley.
- Flooding likely across portions of the Middle/Upper Mississippi Valley, the Northern Plains, and 
the Ohio Valley.
- Much above normal temperatures across portions of the Upper Mississippi Valley and the Northern 
Plains, Mon, Mar 30.
- Much above normal temperatures across portions of the Southeast, Sun-Tue, Mar 29-Mar 31.
- High winds across portions of the Alaska Panhandle, mainland Alaska, and the Aleutians, Sun-Mon, 
Mar 29-Mar 30.
- Much below normal temperatures across portions of mainland Alaska, Sun-Wed, Mar 29-Apr 1.
 
Detailed Summary:

Early next week, a surface low pressure system is forecast to track across the Upper Great Lakes on 
Sunday, with low pressure redeveloping offshore of the Northeast by Monday. Precipitation is likely 
for the Northeast in this pattern, and much of the precipitation should be in the form of snow for 
interior New England. Western Maine and northern New Hampshire in particular could receive a good 
amount of snow for a late season storm.

Ahead of the cold front associated with this low, warmer than average temperatures will be 
widespread across the eastern U.S. on Sunday, which should cool down Monday as the cold front 
passes except over Florida and southern Georgia. This could be hazardous over Florida and parts of 
the Southeast, where record highs could be set, with heat indices of 90 or more. The north-central 
tier is also expected to warm up by early next week, particularly Monday, and a hazard area was 
drawn where these relatively warm temperatures could lead to rapid snowmelt.

Confidence is lower for the next upper-level trough swinging through the Southwest for the 
beginning of next week and eventually into the Plains, as model guidance differs on speed and depth 
of the trough. But it appears that the trough could bring both Pacific and Gulf of Mexico moisture 
into the Southern Plains beginning Sunday. Rainfall amounts from Texas to the Lower Mississippi 
Valley should ramp up Monday and spread across the Southeast and Tennessee Valley Tuesday into 
Wednesday, with the possibility of rainfall and flooding/flash flooding in those areas. The axis of 
the precipitation is still in question, and will be refined as models continue to converge over the 
next few days.

Over the Pacific Northwest, onshore flow of moist Pacific air will cause the potential for 
precipitation through the period. Heaviest precipitation amounts currently look like they will 
occur early in the week, but with lesser amounts of precipitation after. In general, snow is 
expected in higher elevations with rain in lower elevations. Some precipitation, with snow in 
higher elevations, is forecast for the Northern Rockies and Great Basin as well.

In Alaska, colder than normal conditions are expected especially for the eastern part of the state, 
moderating some by midweek. At the surface, low pressure systems in the Gulf of Alaska early in the 
week and a high in the northern part of the state will create a tight pressure gradient across the 
Gulf of Alaska coast into the Panhandle. This could lead to gap winds in favored areas there, which 
could impact transportation. Model guidance varies quite a bit for any precipitation hazards, so 
will reassess the potential for heavy precipitation in the future.

Tate