Prognostic Meteorological Discussion
Issued by NWS
Issued by NWS
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435 FXUS21 KWNC 011856 PMDTHR US Hazards Outlook NWS Climate Prediction Center College Park MD 300 PM EST November 01 2026 SYNOPSIS: Dynamical models are in good agreement regarding very potent mid-level low pressure moving closer to the west coast of the contiguous U.S. (CONUS) during the week-2 period. Therefore confidence is increasing for prolonged impacts from heavy precipitation, coastal high winds, and high elevation heavy snow, especially across the Pacific Northwest into northern California. An extension of hazardous weather into central and southern portions of California and the Southwest is possible later in week-2. Elsewhere, more tranquil and unseasonably warm weather is forecast across much of the interior CONUS underneath mid-level high pressure. Surface low pressure favors potentially unsettled weather along the East Coast early in the period. HAZARDS Moderate risk of heavy precipitation across much of the Pacific Northwest into northern California, Tue-Fri, Nov 10-13. Moderate risk of heavy snow across portions of the Cascades, Klamath, and northern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Tue-Fri, Nov 10-13. Moderate risk of high winds across coastal portions of Washington, Oregon, and northwestern California, Tue-Fri, Nov 10-13. Slight risk of heavy precipitation across the Pacific Northwest and northern California through the San Francisco Bay area, Mon-Sun, Nov 9-15. Slight risk of heavy precipitation across portions of central and southern California into Arizona, Wed-Sun, Nov 11-15. Slight risk of heavy precipitation across portions of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Appalachians, Mon-Wed, Nov 9-11. Slight risk of heavy snow across the Cascades, Klamath, and northern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Mon-Sun, Nov 9-15. Slight risk of heavy snow across the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Wed-Sun, Nov 11-15. Slight risk of high winds across coastal portions of Washington, Oregon, and northern California through San Francisco Bay, Mon-Sun, Nov 9-15. DETAILED SUMMARY FOR WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 04 - SUNDAY NOVEMBER 08: https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/threats/threats.php FOR MONDAY NOVEMBER 09 - SUNDAY NOVEMBER 15: The major story for week-2 will be deep 500-hPa troughing approaching the West Coast of the CONUS, with surface low pressure over the Gulf of Alaska, leading to increasing Pacific flow and subsequently increasing confidence for heavy precipitation along with high elevation heavy snow and coastal high winds. Daily ensemble means from the 0z GEFS, ECMWF, and Canadian ensembles depict the strongest moisture advection beginning around day-9 (Nov 10), with daily ensemble mean precipitation totals upwards of 0.75 to 1-inch across the Pacific Northwest and northern California. While the ECMWF and GEFS Probabilistic Extremes Tools (PETs) only depict probabilities in the 20-40 percent range for 3-day amounts exceeding the 85th climatological percentile, the uncalibrated guidance is much more robust, indicating some areas with at least a 50 percent chance for 3-day precipitation to exceed 2-inches, particularly during the middle portion of week-2. Given these stronger signals and continued eastward progression of the anomalous mid-level troughing, a moderate risk of heavy precipitation is posted across the Pacific Northwest into northern California, Nov 10-13. A corresponding moderate risk of heavy snow is highlighted across the Cascades, Klamath, and northern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Nov 10-13, where the uncalibrated GEFS and ECMWF ensembles depict 3-day snow totals exceeding 6 to 12 inches. A moderate risk of high winds is posted across coastal portions of Washington, Oregon, and northwestern California for the same time frame, tied to an increasing pressure gradient and an enhanced chance of wind speeds greater than 40-mph as depicted in the PETs. Slight risks of heavy precipitation, heavy snow, and high winds surround the respective moderate risks and are valid for all of week-2 given the persistence of the offshore trough. Some of this enhanced moisture may advect into portions of the Northern and Central Rockies by the second half of the period, resulting in periods of heavy snow farther inland over higher elevations. The ECMWF indicates a potential southward expansion of heavy precipitation into southern California and the Southwest later in week-2, with strong probabilities (above 60 percent) for 3-day precipitation totals exceeding the 85th climatological percentile being indicated. While these high probabilities are partially attributed to the lower climatology compared to farther north, the ECMWF PET indicates some areas of southern California into Arizona with at least a 20 percent chance of 3-day precipitation amounts exceeding 1-inch. Probabilities in the GEFS PET are notably lower resulting in greater uncertainty across this area, with only a slight risk of heavy precipitation, Nov 11-15. In addition, a slight risk of heavy snow is posted across the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains, also valid Nov 11-15. Elsewhere across the CONUS, above-normal temperatures are favored for most areas underneath broad mid-level ridging with the exception of parts of the Southeast where closer to normal temperatures are forecast. There are no indications of any hazardous weather across the interior CONUS during the week-2 period. However, a transient shortwave trough is forecast to move across the eastern U.S. late in week-1 into the early part of week-2. Surface low development is possible along the East Coast early in week-2 with the 0z ECMWF ensemble most robust with a nor-easter-like system along the coast. While the signal for this system is weaker in the 0z GEFS, both the AI-based 0z ECMWF and GEFS ensembles lean closer to the dynamical ECMWF with a surface low track closer to the East Coast. Considering some agreement from the AI tools, a slight risk of heavy precipitation is posted across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Appalachians, Nov 9-11. If this system materializes, gusty winds are possible on its backside, but the increased uncertainty precludes a related wind hazard at this time. While the storm system near the West Coast of the CONUS is likely to result in periods of strong winds and heavy precipitation along the southern and southeastern coast of Alaska as well, hazardous thresholds are not expected to be exceeded so no hazards are posted for Alaska at this time. Above-normal temperatures are forecast across much of eastern Mainland and Southeast Alaska, with near- to slightly below-normal temperatures more likely across the western Mainland and the Aleutians. FORECASTER: Thomas Collow $$