Prognostic Meteorological Discussion
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
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386 FXUS21 KWNC 281834 PMDTHR US Hazards Outlook NWS Climate Prediction Center College Park MD 300 PM EDT September 28 2026 SYNOPSIS: Surface high pressure extending from southern Canada into the northeastern contiguous U.S. (CONUS) may bring the first frost to parts of the Northeast, southern Great Lakes region, and Ohio and Middle Mississippi Valleys at the beginning of week-2 South of this surface high, a cold front may bring heavy precipitation to parts of the Gulf Coast states, Tennessee and Lower Mississippi Valleys, and southern Mid-Atlantic. Periods of heavy rainfall is possible for the Florida Peninsula throughout week-2. Tropical disturbances southwest of Baja California and the Gulf of America could enhance moisture enhancing precipitation totals as well. A series of low pressure systems with enhanced onshore flow results in a slight risk of heavy precipitation and high winds for southcentral and southeastern Alaska. HAZARDS Slight risk of much below normal temperatures across parts of the Northeast, southern Great Lakes region, and Ohio and Middle Mississippi Valleys, Tue-Wed, Oct 6-7. Slight risk of heavy precipitation for parts of the Gulf Coast states, Tennessee and Lower Mississippi Valleys, and southern Mid-Atlantic, Tue-Thu, Oct 6-8. Slight risk of heavy precipitation for the Florida Peninsula, Tue-Mon, Oct 6-12. Slight risk of heavy precipitation for parts of southcentral and southeastern Alaska, Tue-Mon, Oct 6-12. Slight risk of high winds for coastal parts of southcentral and southeastern Alaska, Tue-Mon, Oct 6-12. DETAILED SUMMARY FOR THURSDAY OCTOBER 01 - MONDAY OCTOBER 05: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/threats/threats.php FOR TUESDAY OCTOBER 06 - MONDAY OCTOBER 12: The GEFS and ECENS are in good agreement today on an amplifying 500-hPa ridging (troughing) over western (eastern) North America during early October. Surface high pressure is anticipated over southern Canada and parts of the eastern CONUS at the beginning of the period, which could bring anomalously cool temperatures to parts of the northeastern CONUS. A slight risk of much below normal temperatures is posted across parts of the Northeast, southern Great Lakes region, and Ohio and Middle Mississippi Valleys, Oct 6-7, where some areas in the Northeast may experience their first frost and cold temperatures may impact susceptible vegetation in the eastern Corn Belt. Multiple Probabilistic Extremes Tools (PETs) indicate at least a 20% chance of minimum temperatures falling to the lowest 15th percentile climatologically and below 40 deg F. A cold front along the southern portion of the aforementioned surface high pressure over the East may bring heavy precipitation to some areas across the southeastern CONUS. A slight risk of heavy precipitation is designated for parts of the Gulf Coast states, Tennessee and Lower Mississippi Valleys, and southern Mid-Atlantic, Oct 6-8, where the GEFS and ECENS PETs are in good agreement indicating 3-day precipitation totals exceeding the 85th percentile and one inch. The ECENS PET shows at least 20% chances of 3-day precipitation totals exceeding 1.5 inches, although the GEFS counterpart limits these higher amounts to offshore. Further south, a stationary front is expected to bring periods of enhanced rainfall to the Florida Peninsula throughout week-2. Increased chances of tropical disturbances southwest of Baja California and the Bay of Campeche could support further enhanced moisture to parts of the East, contributing to enhanced precipitation amounts. The southern extent of the surface high pressure across the east serves as a contributing factor of uncertainty in terms of the northern extent of the heaviest precipitation. A highly amplified 500-hPa trough over the northeast Pacific is likely to promote a series of low pressure systems that track from the Alaska Peninsula eastward to the Gulf of Alaska. Based on the enhanced onshore flow associated with these low pressure systems, and support from the ECENS and GEFS PETs (20% chance of 3-day precipitation amounts > 85th percentile and 2-3 inches), a slight risk of heavy precipitation is designated from the Kenai Peninsula to southeastern Alaska. Recent deterministic models indicate the potential for daily totals exceeding 2 inches. Since the GEFS, ECENS, and CMCE persist the deep 500-hPa trough over the North Pacific through early October, the heavy precipitation hazard is maintained for the entirety of week-2. Although most of the model ensemble members only depict surface lows of moderate strength (mostly 970-990 hPa), a slight risk of high winds is maintained based on pattern recognition and support from the PETs, with the ECENS PET indicating a greater than 30% chance of wind speeds exceeding the 85th percentile. The high wind hazard is also valid from Oct 5-11. The GEFS probabilities of exceeding this threshold is further inland than the ECENS along southeastern Alaska, but does show at least a 20% chance of some parts of this region having wind speeds exceeding 40 mph albeit a smaller area than the ECENS. It should be noted that there is a possibility that high winds could extend to the Alaska Peninsula and southwestern Alaska, depending on the track and evolution of the remnants of what is currently Typhoon Surigae currently located south of Japan. This will be monitored in the upcoming days. Anticipated above-normal temperatures and dry conditions across the West may enhance wildfire risk, especially across the Cascades eastward to the Northern Rockies. Some of these areas are already experiencing active wildfires. In the Central and Eastern Pacific, the tropics remain very active with two hurricanes (Nolo and Polo), remnant low Odalys, Tropical Storm Rachel, and a broad area of low pressure currently well east-southeast of Hawaii which has a 90 percent (high) chance of tropical development within the next week, according to the National Hurricane Center as of 2pm EST. Although environmental conditions appear to be conducive for development of a tropical depression, the system is predicted to move northeastward away from the Hawaiian Islands. This is good news for the residents of Hawaii that have already experienced a memorable hurricane season this year. It remains to be seen whether or not the evolution of Tropical Storm Rachel results in significant precipitation into the American Southwest in early October. FORECASTER: Melissa Ou $$