Prognostic Meteorological Discussion
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
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126 FXUS21 KWNC 281901 PMDTHR US Hazards Outlook NWS Climate Prediction Center College Park MD 300 PM EST November 28 2025 SYNOPSIS: A broad area of mid-level low pressure is expected to persist over the higher latitudes of eastern North America which favors below-normal temperatures across the Midwest and Northeast. The wet fall pattern for southern California may continue into early December. A rapid transition from above to below-normal temperatures remains likely for Alaska prior to the start of week-2, December 6. HAZARDS Slight risk of much below normal temperatures for parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley, Great Lakes, and Northeast, Sat-Sun, Dec 6-7. Slight risk of heavy snow for parts of the eastern Great Lakes, Central Appalachians, and Northeast, Sat, Dec 6. Slight risk of heavy precipitation for southern California, Sat-Sun, Dec 6-7. Slight risk of heavy snow across the Northern to Central Rockies, Sat-Mon, Dec 6-8. DETAILED SUMMARY FOR MONDAY DECEMBER 01 - FRIDAY DECEMBER 05: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/threats/threats.php FOR SATURDAY DECEMBER 06 - FRIDAY DECEMBER 12: The GEFS, ECENS, and CMCE are in reasonably good agreement through the beginning of week-2 with anomalous 500-hPa troughing depicted over eastern North America. The ECENS indicates the most amplified trough with negative 500-hpa height anomalies extending south to the Gulf Coast and Florida. Early in week-2, the multi-model ensemble means diverge, with the ECENS and CMCE maintaining the anomalous 500-hPa trough over eastern North America but the GEFS depicting this trough weakening. Based on better agreement and continuity, the ECENS and CMCE model solutions and their temperature guidance was preferred today. A slight risk of much below-normal temperatures (valid December 6 and 7) is posted for parts of the Great Lakes, northern New York, and New England where the ECENS Probabilistic Extremes Tool (PET) has more than a 20 percent chance of minimum temperatures falling below the 10th percentile and 0 degrees F. Gusty winds, associated with the predicted cold air advection, elevates chances of apparent temperatures reaching NWS Cold Advisory criteria for these designated areas. Strong cold air advection is expected to promote lake-effect snow later next week with a slight risk of heavy snow posted for areas downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario along with parts of the Central Appalachians on December 6. The slight risk of heavy snow extends east to include parts of New England due to several ECENS ensemble members depicting coastal low formation in this region. The amplified and full-latitude 500-hPa trough, predicted by the ECENS, would lead to subfreezing temperatures across the Southeast. Since this region already had their first widespread freeze of the season earlier in November, no cold hazard is warranted. As is typical with shortwave troughs forecast to separate from the mid-latitude westerlies and dig into the Southwest or offshore of southern California, the precipitation outlook is uncertain for those areas late next week. The ECENS depicts a 500-hPa trough or even cut-off low near southern California which increases the chance of heavy precipitation for this area. Based on the ECENS PET and its uncalibrated model output, a slight risk of heavy precipitation is posted for southern California on December 6 and 7. A longwave 500-hPa trough along with support from the GEFS snow water equivalent (SWE) PET and the uncalibrated ECENS results in a slight risk of heavy snow for parts of the Northern to Central Rockies from December 6 to 8. Beyond the early part of week-2, the heavy snow signal diminishes in the GEFS SWE PET. For the Pacific Northwest and northern California, poor model agreement and continuity preclude the designation on any precipitation or snow hazards at this time. A quick transition from above to below-normal temperatures remains likely for Mainland Alaska later next week after 500-hPa heights decrease and an upstream mid-level ridge develops near the Bering Strait. Despite this pattern change, temperatures are not expected to reach NWS cold advisory criteria. FORECASTER: Brad Pugh $$