Thursday's Weather Outlook

While spotty showers bring wet weather to the interior Western U.S., the national story is a quiet pattern on Thursday. 

A persistent southwesterly flow will bring ample moisture to the interior Western U.S. including the Great Basin and Four Corners. Scattered rain showers will populate Nevada, Utah, western to central Colorado, southwestern Wyoming, southern Idaho, and northern Arizona throughout the day. In the middle to high terrain accumulating snow will be possible with the highest totals expected on the western slopes of the Front Range in Colorado.  

The rest of the Western U.S. will favor drier weather. The Pacific Northwest will be mostly dry despite a few showers along the northwestern coast of Washington. While northern to central California may be wet with a couple of showers, southern California and the Desert Southwest will be rain free. 

Moving eastward to the Plains, high pressure will keep things dry and quiet. Much of the Midwest and Mid-South will see drier air as well, but some light rain cannot be ruled out early in the day in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. 

Along the Gulf Coast, warm and moisture filled air may wring out a few stray showers from southeastern Texas to Florida. Brief heavy downpours may be associated with these showers, especially in central to southern Florida. 

Before Noon, a couple of lake enhanced snow showers will drift along in northeast Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and western New York. No more than a couple of inches of snow is possible as clearing occurs in the afternoon. Dry weather conditions will be common for the rest of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley, and Southeast. 

Colder air will remain confined to northern sections of the Northeast with teens and 20s. Twenties and 30s will be common for the high terrain of the central Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains. Similar 20s and 30s may also be found in the Upper Midwest, Northeast, and northern sections of the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley. A mix of 30s and 40s are anticipated in the Lower Midwest, southern Ohio Valley, southern Mid-Atlantic, Great Basin, northern Plains, and interior Pacific Northwest.  

Forties and 50s will be felt along the northern to central West Coast and parts of the Tennessee Valley. Warmer 50s and 60s are expected in the Mid-South, Southeast, southern West Coast, Four Corners, and central Plains. The southern Plains, Deep South, Florida, and Desert Southwest will experience 60s and 70s. Parts of southern Texas can anticipate 80s for high temperatures!