Prognostic Meteorological Discussion
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
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509 FXUS21 KWNC 301914 PMDTHR US Hazards Outlook NWS Climate Prediction Center College Park MD 300 PM EST November 30 2025 SYNOPSIS: Dynamical models are in good agreement regarding anomalous mid-level low pressure across the eastern contiguous U.S. (CONUS) at the outset of week-2. Enhanced chances of heavy snow and below-normal temperatures are favored to persist across parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast early in the period. Mid-level low pressure forecast across the northeastern Pacific and Alaska favors enhanced onshore flow across much of western North America leading to elevated chances of heavy precipitation, high elevation heavy snow, and high winds over parts of the northwestern CONUS into Southeast Alaska. Diverging model solutions regarding the positioning of amplified mid-level features across the CONUS reduces confidence toward the middle of the period. HAZARDS Slight risk of heavy snow across the Cascades, Mon-Wed, Dec 8-10. Slight risk of heavy snow across the northern Rockies, Mon-Wed, Dec 8-10. Slight risk of heavy snow across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and western portions of Lower Michigan, Mon-Tue, Dec 8-9. Slight risk of heavy snow across portions of the interior Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, and Central Appalachians, Mon-Tue, Dec 8-9. Slight risk of much below normal temperatures across portions of the Upper Mississippi Valley and western Great Lakes, Mon-Tue, Dec 8-9. Slight risk of much below normal temperatures across portions of Upstate New York and northern New England, Mon-Tue, Dec 8-9. Slight risk of heavy precipitation across portions of the Pacific Northwest and far northwestern California, Mon-Wed, Dec 8-10. Slight risk of high winds across the northwestern CONUS into the northern and central High Plains, Mon-Wed, Dec 8-10. Slight risk of high winds across southeastern Alaska, Mon-Sun, Dec 8-14. DETAILED SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 03 - SUNDAY DECEMBER 07: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/threats/threats.php FOR MONDAY DECEMBER 08 - SUNDAY DECEMBER 14: The 0z ECWMF, GEFS, and Canadian ensembles all depict anomalous 500-hPa troughing across the East during week-1 and into week-2. As a result, several shortwave impulses are forecast to traverse the CONUS favoring an active weather pattern across the East. The interaction between the southern and northern streams will ultimately determine the placement of wintry weather, with the potential for a system moving through every couple of days. This progression of shortwaves supports maintaining a slight risk of heavy snow across portions of the Great Lakes, interior Northeast, and extending along the Allegheny Front, Dec 8-9, with heavy snow either directly from the individual systems or Lake Effect. Along with the potential for snow, is the possibility of much below-normal temperatures. The ECMWF Probabilistic Extremes Tool (PET) depicts parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley, Great Lakes, and Northeast having at least a 60 percent chance minimum temperatures fall below the 10th climatological percentile. This would correspond to elevated chances of subzero temperatures over portions of the Upper Mississippi Valley and the interior Northeast, with negative teens possible across northern Minnesota and North Dakota. Taking wind chill into account, some of these areas may reach NWS Cold Advisory criteria supporting a slight risk for much below normal temperatures, Dec 8-9. The GEFS is less amplified with the initial troughing compared to the ECMWF and Canadian ensembles and is also the quickest to flip to a more typical La Nina pattern later in week-2, with ridging developing over the Southeast and more troughing in the West. The GEFS scenario would result in a relatively more tranquil pattern with warmer conditions returning to the East by mid-December. However, the ECMWF and Canadian solutions would favor a persistence of the current colder and stormy pattern. Given the uncertainty, no hazards are posted across the East beyond day-9 (Dec 9). Troughing over the northeastern Pacific and Alaska during week-2 favors increased onshore flow and as a result, elevated precipitation chances across portions of western North America. The uncalibrated ECMWF ensemble depicts 24-hour precipitation totals upwards of 1 to 1.5 inches across coastal areas of Washington and northwestern Oregon on days 8 and 9 (Dec 8-9), with a corresponding uptick in probabilities for Integrated Vapor Transport (IVT) values to exceed 250 kg/m/s compared to yesterday. While the GEFS precipitation values are lower compared to the ECMWF ensemble, enhanced precipitation extends farther south into California given the transition to more troughing in the West by the middle of the period. However, further complicating the forecast, the ECMWF and Canadian ensembles depict a more amplified ridge across the West Coast of the CONUS which would favor less precipitation over the Southwest. A slight risk of heavy precipitation is posted across the Pacific Northwest into far northwestern California, Dec 8-10. Accompanying slight risks of heavy snow are posted across the Cascades and northern Rockies for the same time frame. The GEFS would support an extension of the heavy precipitation and snow risks further south into California and the Sierra Nevadas respectively, but holding off due to the aforementioned model discrepancies. A broad slight risk for high winds is also highlighted from the northwestern CONUS into the northern and central High Plains tied to the increased pressure gradient and supported by the ECMWF and GEFS PETs. Below-normal temperatures are likely across Alaska associated with troughing over the state, although NWS Cold Advisory criteria is unlikely to be reached. Periods of heavy precipitation and high winds are likely across Southeast Alaska due to enhanced onshore flow. While precipitation totals in the PETs and uncalibrated guidance do not reach hazards thresholds, the ECMWF PET depicts parts of the region having at least a 20 percent chance wind speeds exceed 40-mph associated with mean surface low pressure over the Gulf of Alaska. Therefore, a slight risk for high winds is posted across southeastern Alaska for all of week-2. FORECASTER: Thomas Collow $$