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Weekend Weather Preview
March 21, 2024 at 02:39 PM EDT
By WeatherBug's Domenic Brooks and Alyssa Robinette
A washout weekend is expected for many as stormy weather seeps into almost every corner of the nation at some point, meaning folks will have to be weary when making outdoor plans.
Saturday
The East and West coasts will be the main focal points of unsettled weather on Saturday. Starting off on the East Coast, storms will be ongoing as the sun rises due to a complex storm system unfolding in the region, punctuated by a potent cold front extending from the Great Lakes down to the southern Plains.
Scattered rain showers and thunderstorms will be marching across the Southeast, with steadier and more widespread showers as you head north into the Mid-Atlantic and coastal Northeast. Farther inland across interior portions of the Northeast and northern New England, precipitation will transition to freezing rain and sleet before turning to all snow the farther north you go. Upstate New York and northern New England will be the bullseye for snowfall, with many areas receiving 6 to 10 inches or more.
Storms will last throughout the day up and down the East Coast before the cold front finally sweeps through the region overnight, ushering in drier weather and plunging temperatures to below average for most places east of the Mississippi River.
Shifting gears to the West Coast, a plume of tropical moisture that was driven into the region on Friday is expected to stick around, continuing to bring widespread stormy weather. Intermittent rain showers will be common up and down the West Coast throughout the day, seeping into interior parts of the Northwest, Great Basin, and central Rockies as well. At higher elevations, precipitation will be more likely to fall as a mix of rain and snow or just all snow.
The northern Plains will also get in on the action with a band of light snow showers extending from Montana to the Mid-Missouri River Valley starting in the morning. These snow showers are expected to last throughout the day and into the overnight hours.
The rest of the country, including the Southwest, central and southern Plains, Mississippi River Valley, and Great Lakes should be able to enjoy dry, tranquil weather and high pressure remains overhead.
In terms of temperature, the Northern Tier of the country stays cold with highs in the 20s, 30s, and 40s from the northern Rockies through the Great Lakes and into the Northeast. The Mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley, Mid-South, central Plains, Intermountain West, and West Coast will all see highs in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. High temperatures in the 60s, 70s, and 80s will be felt across the Southwest, Front Range, southern Plains, Deep South, and Southeast.
Sunday
A large, slow-moving weather system and associated cold front will be moving across the western two-thirds of the U.S. on Sunday. Occasional rain showers will soak the West Coast and most of California into the lower elevations of the Desert Southwest throughout the day. There will be a mix of rain and snow across the interior Northwest and Great Basin, while wet snow falls in the Mountain West.
Things get more complicated across the central U.S. Light to moderate snow will be found across the northern Plains and Upper Midwest, best chance occurring in the afternoon and evening. The Front Range and central Plains will likely see rain showers during the day, which will mix with and change over to snow in the evening. On the southern fringes of the snow, there could also be some freezing rain and sleet.
Expect widespread rain and thunderstorms for the southern Plains and Mid-Mississippi Valley. The best timing will be in the afternoon and evening. There could be some heavier rain and localized flooding here. However, the main concern will be strong to severe thunderstorms. Be on the lookout for damaging winds, large hail and perhaps a few tornadoes within thunderstorms.
Across the eastern third of the U.S., there could be some snow early in the day for eastern New England. Otherwise, high pressure will build over areas east of the Mississippi River. Expect dry, quiet weather for the Midwest, Deep South, Ohio Valley, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.
Most of the nation will experience unseasonably cold weather for the end of the weekend. The exception will be the Pacific Northwest and the south-central U.S.
The coldest areas will be across most of the Northern Tier. Expect 20s and 30s across the northern Rockies, northern Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley into the Great Lakes and interior Northeast. However, a few spots could see temperatures stay in the teens. Expect 30s and 40s across the rest of the Mountain West, though a few 20s are possible in the highest elevations. Expect mainly 40s and 50s for the central Plains and Mid-Mississippi Valley into the Midwest, Ohio Valley, southern New England and the Mid-Atlantic.
The West Coast will report mainly 50s and 60s, with 70s also possible in the Desert Southwest. Widespread 60s and 70s are forecast for the southern Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley and Southeast. Several spots in Texas will also see highs in the 80s!
Saturday
The East and West coasts will be the main focal points of unsettled weather on Saturday. Starting off on the East Coast, storms will be ongoing as the sun rises due to a complex storm system unfolding in the region, punctuated by a potent cold front extending from the Great Lakes down to the southern Plains.
Scattered rain showers and thunderstorms will be marching across the Southeast, with steadier and more widespread showers as you head north into the Mid-Atlantic and coastal Northeast. Farther inland across interior portions of the Northeast and northern New England, precipitation will transition to freezing rain and sleet before turning to all snow the farther north you go. Upstate New York and northern New England will be the bullseye for snowfall, with many areas receiving 6 to 10 inches or more.
Storms will last throughout the day up and down the East Coast before the cold front finally sweeps through the region overnight, ushering in drier weather and plunging temperatures to below average for most places east of the Mississippi River.
Shifting gears to the West Coast, a plume of tropical moisture that was driven into the region on Friday is expected to stick around, continuing to bring widespread stormy weather. Intermittent rain showers will be common up and down the West Coast throughout the day, seeping into interior parts of the Northwest, Great Basin, and central Rockies as well. At higher elevations, precipitation will be more likely to fall as a mix of rain and snow or just all snow.
The northern Plains will also get in on the action with a band of light snow showers extending from Montana to the Mid-Missouri River Valley starting in the morning. These snow showers are expected to last throughout the day and into the overnight hours.
The rest of the country, including the Southwest, central and southern Plains, Mississippi River Valley, and Great Lakes should be able to enjoy dry, tranquil weather and high pressure remains overhead.
In terms of temperature, the Northern Tier of the country stays cold with highs in the 20s, 30s, and 40s from the northern Rockies through the Great Lakes and into the Northeast. The Mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley, Mid-South, central Plains, Intermountain West, and West Coast will all see highs in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. High temperatures in the 60s, 70s, and 80s will be felt across the Southwest, Front Range, southern Plains, Deep South, and Southeast.
Sunday
A large, slow-moving weather system and associated cold front will be moving across the western two-thirds of the U.S. on Sunday. Occasional rain showers will soak the West Coast and most of California into the lower elevations of the Desert Southwest throughout the day. There will be a mix of rain and snow across the interior Northwest and Great Basin, while wet snow falls in the Mountain West.
Things get more complicated across the central U.S. Light to moderate snow will be found across the northern Plains and Upper Midwest, best chance occurring in the afternoon and evening. The Front Range and central Plains will likely see rain showers during the day, which will mix with and change over to snow in the evening. On the southern fringes of the snow, there could also be some freezing rain and sleet.
Expect widespread rain and thunderstorms for the southern Plains and Mid-Mississippi Valley. The best timing will be in the afternoon and evening. There could be some heavier rain and localized flooding here. However, the main concern will be strong to severe thunderstorms. Be on the lookout for damaging winds, large hail and perhaps a few tornadoes within thunderstorms.
Across the eastern third of the U.S., there could be some snow early in the day for eastern New England. Otherwise, high pressure will build over areas east of the Mississippi River. Expect dry, quiet weather for the Midwest, Deep South, Ohio Valley, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.
Most of the nation will experience unseasonably cold weather for the end of the weekend. The exception will be the Pacific Northwest and the south-central U.S.
The coldest areas will be across most of the Northern Tier. Expect 20s and 30s across the northern Rockies, northern Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley into the Great Lakes and interior Northeast. However, a few spots could see temperatures stay in the teens. Expect 30s and 40s across the rest of the Mountain West, though a few 20s are possible in the highest elevations. Expect mainly 40s and 50s for the central Plains and Mid-Mississippi Valley into the Midwest, Ohio Valley, southern New England and the Mid-Atlantic.
The West Coast will report mainly 50s and 60s, with 70s also possible in the Desert Southwest. Widespread 60s and 70s are forecast for the southern Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley and Southeast. Several spots in Texas will also see highs in the 80s!