An active and complicated weather pattern is forecast to bring inclement weather to various locations across the eastern two-thirds of the country through the next couple of days.
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A low pressure system developing and tracking through the southern tier states will bring a quick round of heavy rain and strong to severe thunderstorms from west to east through the region today into tonight.
Over Florida, daytime heating over sea breeze boundaries combined with passage of upper-level energy could bring more instances of severe thunderstorms with large hail near the east coast of the Florida Peninsula today.
The low pressure system will move into the eastern U.S. on Friday with a round of moderately heavy rain likely moving up the eastern slope of the Appalachians and the Mid-Atlantic states.
Lighter rainfall is expected to move across the Ohio Valley as well.
By Saturday morning, the southern half of the eastern U.S. should begin to dry out behind the system while the northern Mid-Atlantic will start the weekend in a mild and rainy note.
Meanwhile, a low pressure system diving into the northern High Plains will produce a variety of weather as it presses south and east into the mid-section of the country.
Higher elevation wet snow of 6-12 inches will once again be possible as cool air is ushered in and lifted behind a cold front across the northern Rockies today, reaching into the central Rockies with 6+ inches of wet snow tonight/early Friday.
By Friday night into early Saturday, the system will move out into the southern Plains where strong to severe thunderstorms are forecast to develop.
A strengthening upper-level ridge across the West through late week will lead to gradual warming of temperatures across the region.
Above average temperatures should be most notable across the West Coast states, where a few record high maximum/minimum temperatures could be tied or set Thursday with increasing numbers of potential records by Friday.
Temperatures in the Desert Southwest could exceed 100F, slightly warmer than usual for this time of year.
But from the Rockies eastward, temperatures will generally be below normal for many areas through late week.
Freeze Warnings and Frost Advisories are in place across parts of the Ohio Valley/Great Lakes region for another chilly morning today.
The next clipper system from southern Canada is forecast to reach the northern Plains Saturday morning with some mixed rain/snow as it begins to merge with another low pressure wave located over the upper Great Lakes where mixed rain/snow is also possible. ■