Monday's Weather Outlook

After a generally quiet weather pattern this weekend, multiple weather systems are set to impact the U.S. on Monday, bringing everything from mountain snow to dangerous thunderstorms.

The first piece of this complex weather pattern will be a cold front dropping south across the north-central U.S. The other piece will be a large upper-level weather system settled just off the California coast. The cold front will bring colder air, while the system off the coast funnels Pacific moisture into the U.S. The result will be chances of precipitation across much of the West and Rocky Mountains into the Midwest and Northeast.

Temperatures will generally be too mild for any wintry precipitation for most areas, which will translate into occasional to frequent rain showers for these locations. However, the tallest peaks of the Rockies and Sierra Nevada will be cold enough for some wet snow or a rain/snow mix. In addition to the rain, the Lower Midwest could be susceptible to strong to severe thunderstorms. The main concerns will be high winds and perhaps hail up to the size of quarters.

At the same time, much of the South and Southeast will remain dry under high pressure. The exception will be a cold front stalled over the Florida Peninsula, which could trigger some showers and thunderstorms. The Northwest will also miss out on any precipitation as any moisture from the upper-level weather system will remain well to the south.

There will be a mix of unseasonably cold and warmer than normal temperatures across the U.S. The Northwest and parts of the Rockies as well as the Lower Midwest into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast will experience near to above average temperatures. Meanwhile, the north-central U.S., California, the far southern Plains and Southeast will all record below average temperatures.

The Sierra Nevada, much of the Rocky Mountains, the far northern Plains and most of Maine will generally record highs in the 40s and 50s, though 30s cannot be ruled out closer to the U.S.-Canada border and in those higher elevations of the Mountain West. Sixties and 70s will be in store for the rest of the Eastern U.S. as well as coastal areas of the Northwest and California. Isolated 80s could be found in Florida as well as the Lower Mississippi Valley. Expect 80s for the Desert Southwest, while 80s and some 90s will occur in the southern half of the Plains.