Valid Sunday, April 08, 2012 to Thursday, April 19, 2012

Summary of Forecasts and Hazards

US HAZARDS OUTLOOK
NWS CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER CAMP SPRINGS MD
300 PM EDT APRIL 05 2012

SYNOPSIS: AT THE START OF THIS PERIOD, LOW PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO MOVE WESTWARD FROM THE NORTHWESTERN ATLANTIC TO NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. TWO COLD FRONTS ARE ANTICIPATED TO CROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN PARTS OF THE NATION. HIGH PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO BUILD FROM THE ROCKIES TO THE GREAT PLAINS AND MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. LOW PRESSURE IS ANTICIPATED TO BRING UNSETTLED WEATHER TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. LOW PRESSURE IS ALSO FORECAST TO IMPACT THE ALEUTIANS AND WESTERN ALASKA. LATER IN THE PERIOD, LOW PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP NEAR THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST AS HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATES MOST OF THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. UNSETTLED WEATHER IS FORECAST TO PERSIST OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

HAZARDS

• HIGH WINDS FOR THE ALEUTIANS AND WESTERN PARTS OF THE ALASKA MAINLAND, APRIL 8-10.
• HIGH WAVES FOR THE ALEUTIANS, APRIL 8-10.
• FLOODING FOR PART OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS, APRIL 8-9.
• SEVERE DROUGHT FOR PARTS OF THE SOUTHEAST, CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PLAINS, UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY, SOUTHWEST, PORTIONS OF BOTH CALIFORNIA AND THE CENTRAL GREAT BASIN, AND HAWAII.

DETAILED SUMMARY

FOR SUNDAY APRIL 08 - THURSDAY APRIL 12: A LOW PRESSURE CENTER OVER THE NORTHWESTERN ATLANTIC IS PREDICTED TO RETROGRADE TOWARDS MAINE. THIS FAIRLY UNUSUAL WESTWARD SHIFT OF A STORM SYSTEM WITHIN THE MAIN BELT OF THE WESTERLIES MAY RESULT IN SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ACROSS PORTIONS OF MAINE. HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME, NO HEAVY SNOW HAZARD HAS BEEN DESIGNATED FOR THIS AREA.

A PAIR OF COLD FRONTS ARE FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN CONUS AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS FROM THE ROCKIES AND THE PLAINS TO THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. LOW PRESSURE IS ANTICIPATED TO BRING UNSETTLED WEATHER TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, ALTHOUGH NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS CURRENTLY EXPECTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THIS SYSTEM.

IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS, FLOODING CAUSED BY ANTECEDENT PRECIPITATION CONTINUES ALONG THE BANKS OF THE TRINITY RIVER NEAR LIBERTY.

FOR ALASKA, A STRONG STORM SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO MOVE FROM THE BERING SEA TOWARDS THE SOUTHWESTERN PART OF THE STATE. THIS IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT WAVES FOR THE ALEUTIANS APRIL 8-10, AND HIGH WINDS FOR THE ALEUTIANS
AND PARTS OF WESTERN ALASKA APRIL 8-10.

LATE IN THE PERIOD, A TROUGH IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE WEST-CENTRAL CONUS. THIS SYSTEM MAY LEAD TO SEVERE WEATHER OVER PARTS OF THE SOUTHERN PLAINS, BUT MODEL UNCERTAINTY PRECLUDES THE SPECIFICATION OF A HAZARD AREA AT THE CURRENT TIME.

FOR FRIDAY APRIL 13 - THURSDAY APRIL 19: NO SPECIFIC HAZARDS CAN BE IDENTIFIED DURING THIS TIME PERIOD EXCEPT FOR THE ONGOING SEVERE DROUGHT AREAS. A LOW AMPLITUDE 500-HPA HEIGHT PATTERN IS FORECAST WITH A WEAK TROUGH OVER THE WESTERN CONUS AND A WEAK RIDGE OVER THE EAST.

FORECASTER: RANDY SCHECHTER

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