Weekend Weather Preview
Mother Nature will provide a mix of soggy, stormy weather and uneventful conditions nationwide this weekend, while summer heat and a fall preview continue to clash.
Saturday
A stationary front will hover over the Florida Peninsula to just off the East Coast on Saturday. Rain and thunderstorms will soak most of Florida throughout the day. There could be some drizzle or very light showers across the eastern Mid-Atlantic and southern New England, mainly in the afternoon and evening.
Isolated showers and thunderstorms will also be possible in the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest. This is due to a cold front dropping south from Canada. Otherwise, high pressure will control the weather across the rest of the Eastern U.S., allowing for dry conditions.
Meanwhile, a stubborn low pressure system will move across the Mountain West to start the weekend. This low pressure will also interact with monsoonal moisture streaming northward. This will translate into chances for rain throughout the northern Plains, Rockies, Great Basin and Southwest. Rain and thunderstorms will be possible throughout the day, but the best chance would occur in the afternoon and evening. A few wet snowflakes could also be flying in the highest elevations of Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado.
Along the Colorado Front Range into northeastern New Mexico, a few strong to severe thunderstorms could develop in the afternoon and evening. The main concern would be gusty winds within thunderstorms. Though, some small hail cannot be ruled out. The entire Mountain West and northern Plains could also be at risk for torrential downpours and localized flooding.
High pressure will lead to a quiet day of weather along the West Coast.
The tallest peaks in the Rockies will be the coldest spots throughout the Lower 48 states. Here, temperatures will only reach the 40s and 50s. The rest of the Rockies as well as the Northwest, Great Basin and the Northeast will generally see 60s and 70s. Eighties and 90s will occur throughout much of California into the Desert Southwest along with most of the Plains and Mississippi Valley, Midwest and Southeast.
Sunday
The nearly stationary front draped over the Florida Peninsula will not budge on Sunday. Scattered to widespread showers and thunderstorms will occur throughout central and southern Florida. There will be just a slight chance of thunderstorms across northern Florida and the Florida Panhandle.
The cold front in the Great Lakes will advance east into the Northeast on Sunday. A few showers and thunderstorms could form along the front, mainly in the afternoon and evening. Dry weather is in store though for the rest of the East.
Rain showers and thunderstorms will be likely throughout much of the nation’s midsection as the low pressure system in the Mountain West pushes east. There could also be a few lingering showers and thunderstorms in the Rocky Mountains and Front Range.
Thunderstorms that develop in the northern half of the Plains and Upper Mississippi could be capable of becoming strong to severe. Strong winds and heavy downpours will continue to be the main threats within these thunderstorms.
At the same time, a new weather disturbance and cold front will come barreling into the Northwest. Rain and thunderstorms will become increasingly likely from west to east throughout the day. Be on the lookout for some heavier rainfall, which could lead to localized flooding.
Much of California into the Great Basin and Desert Southwest will remain free of rainfall for the end of the weekend.
Temperatures across the Eastern U.S. will range from the 60s and 70s in the Northeast to 80s and lower 90s for the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Deep South. Expect 80s and 90s for the eastern Plains and Midwest. Sixties and 70s will be most common throughout the West, including the Northwest, Great Basin, the lower elevations of the Rockies and the High Plains. Though, the highest elevations will only see temperatures in the 50s, while 80s and 90s are in the forecast across California into the Desert Southwest.