US Day 3-7 Hazards Outlook
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
312 PM EDT Mon Mar 30 2020
 
Valid Thursday April 02 2020 - Monday April 06 2020
 
Hazards:
- Heavy rain across portions of the Southern Plains, the Upper Mississippi Valley, and the Northern 
Plains, Thu-Fri, Apr 2-Apr 3.
- Heavy rain across portions of the Southeast, the Lower Mississippi Valley, and the Southern 
Plains, Sat-Sun, Apr 4-Apr 5.
- Heavy rain across portions of the Southeast, the Lower Mississippi Valley, the Southern Plains, 
and the Tennessee Valley, Mon, Apr 6.
- Heavy snow across portions of the Central Great Basin, California, and the Southwest, Sat-Mon, 
Apr 4-Apr 6.
- Heavy snow across portions of the Central Rockies, the Central Plains, the Upper Mississippi 
Valley, and the Northern Plains, Thu, Apr 2.
- Flooding possible across portions of the Middle Mississippi Valley, the Great Lakes, the Upper 
Mississippi Valley, and the Northern Plains.
- Flooding occurring or imminent across portions of the Lower Mississippi Valley, the Northern 
Plains, the Tennessee Valley, the Great Lakes, the Middle Mississippi Valley, the Upper Mississippi 
Valley, the Southern Plains, and the Ohio Valley.
- Flooding likely across portions of the Great Lakes, the Middle Mississippi Valley, the Southern 
Plains, the Upper Mississippi Valley, and the Northern Plains.
- Much below normal temperatures across portions of the Central Plains, the Northern Plains, and 
the Northern Rockies, Thu-Fri, Apr 2-Apr 3.
- Heavy precipitation across portions of mainland Alaska, Thu, Apr 2.
- Much above normal temperatures across portions of mainland Alaska, Thu-Fri, Apr 2-Apr 3.
 
Detailed Summary:

The weather pattern across the U.S. in the first six days of April is expected to be highlighted by 
an upper-level low over southwest Canada the first half of the period and an evolving long wave 
trough along or off the west coast of North America during the second half. Several disturbances 
are expected to rotate underneath the upper low and trough. The first disturbance will generate a 
low pressure system in the Central Plains that is expected to produce heavy snow in the Central 
Rockies and Dakotas on Thursday. Heavy rain is also possible in parts of the Upper Mississippi 
Valley which combined with milder temperatures may lead to some additional flooding concerns late 
week. On the back side of the storm, much below normal temperatures will filter down the front 
range of the Canadian Rockies and lead to cold conditions in the northern High Plains both Thursday 
and Friday. 

There will be a chance for heavy rain and thunderstorms late Thursday into Friday in south-central 
Texas as a cold front approaches from the north. Over the weekend as the front stalls over the 
South Central U.S., an approaching upper-level feature over the Intermountain West is expected to 
tap into Gulf moisture and aid in producing more rounds of heavy showers and thunderstorms from 
southeast Texas to the central Gulf Coast. Current guidance suggests the front will lift north as a 
warm front by days 6 and 7 but how far north is still unclear. Where the front does set up though, 
with current expectations being in the Mid-South, heavy showers and thunderstorms will be possible 
Sunday and into early next week.

Along the West Coast, the upper level pattern supports a period of active weather over the 
Northwest on south to California and into the Intermountain West as well. The weather hazard with 
the best chance of occurring late week and into the weekend is the threat for heavy snow in the 
Sierra Nevada with some heavy showers along the coast as well. 

In Alaska, abnormally mild conditions will stick around much of the period but the warmest 
temperature anomalies are likely to be Thursday and Friday in the northern tier of the state. Daily 
anomalies there will be between 20-25 degrees above normal both days but anomalies averaging 10 to 
15 degrees above normal are possible into the weekend. An upper-level trough swinging into far 
western Alaska will allow for areas of heavy rain and snow in southwest Alaska on Thursday. By day 
7, model guidance suggests the potential for a storm in the Gulf of Alaska to produce wet and 
wintry conditions in the Panhandle, but totals falling just shy of criteria and spread in model 
guidance makes issuing a heavy precipitation area low confidence at this time.

Mullinax