NOAA releases winter weather predictions and how La Niña will affect the US. The massive storm could bring severe weather and blizzard conditions this weekend to the central US, Today’s weather alerts and weekend forecast.
NOAA releases winter weather outlook and what impact La Niña will have on US
For the third winter in a row, La Niña conditions will occur in the Pacific Ocean, and the Climate Prediction Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service, has weighed in on what this means in its official winter forecast for 2022-23.
The effects of La Niña, which forecasters say has a 75 percent chance of sticking around through the winter months, tends to affect the US by creating a dryer winter in the southern latitudes and wetter winter in the northern latitudes, The Hill reported.
Precipitation outlook
Based on the current estimates, the Southwest, southern states, and parts of the Southeast are leaning below average for precipitation. In the Northwest, parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana are likely to have above-average precipitation this winter.
Temperature outlook
The temperature forecast from November through January calls for above-average temperatures for much of the country, particularly the West, Southwest, South, and Southeast, but also along the Atlantic coastal regions from Florida to Maine.
Colder than normal temperatures for Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern Michigan, Iowa, northwestern Illinois, Northeastern Nebraska, and northeastern Wyoming, CNN reported.
Massive storm to target the central US with blizzard conditions, dangerous winds, severe weather
A surging mass of warm air will collide with a cold front over the central US, which could unleash a variety of weather conditions, including heavy snow, blizzard conditions, severe storms, and winds up to 90 mph across the nation’s midsection, AccuWeather reported.
The West will see snow over Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico on Sunday, while unseasonably warm conditions over numerous states west of the Rockies in the South, upper Midwest, Plains, and Ohio Valley.
Severe weather conditions could break out between Sunday and Monday, forecasters estimate.
NWS weather alerts for Friday
Here are Friday’s weather alerts from the National Weather Service (NWS).
Winter storm warning for portions of: Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah.
Winter weather advisory: western Wyoming, northwest Oregon.
Red flag warning for portions of: Nevada, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas.
High wind warnings and advisories for portions of: Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona.
The weekend forecast
Here is the 3-day forecast from the National Weather Service (NWS).
Friday: Snow in the West
Mixed precipitation and rain possibly turn to snow in the West over parts of Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah. Snow could be heavy over parts of Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.
Rain over North Dakota and Minnesota.
Thunderstorms over southeast Florida.
Mostly dry for the remainder of the country.
Saturday: Heavy snow in the West
Rain, sleet, and snow over much of the West, with heavy snow possible over portions of Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. A wintry mix over portions of Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana.
Rain over the aforementioned states, as well as Arizona and New Mexico in the West, northwestern North Dakota, and to the east over portions of east-central Florida, and along the coast of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.
Sunday: Widespread snow in the West
Winter weather will arrive in the West with widespread snow over central and western Montana, most of Idaho, western and central Wyoming, most of Utah, and northeastern Nevada. Heavy snow over parts of Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado.
A wintry mix for portions of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Rain over parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, as well as for the western regions of Washington and Oregon.
Thunderstorms in the upper Midwest over the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa. In the East, thunderstorms along the Atlantic for portions of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
