WEATHER ALERT

The overall weather pattern through the end of the week will continue to
be featured with a pronounced and anomalous upper level trough over the
eastern half of the country, and a big upper level ridge for the western
states. This will keep most of the West Coast, the Great Basin, and the
Desert Southwest warmer and drier than normal, and the central and eastern
parts of the U.S. much colder than normal.

Over the eastern half of the nation, we all know that it has been quite
cold over the past week. An eddy of the polar vortex is leading to the
coldest weather of this recent cold spell, creating a deep layer of
bitterly cold air along with gusty winds. There were widespread subzero
overnight lows Thursday night extending from Illinois to western Virginia,
and numerous record lows were set! Highs on Friday will struggle to get
out of the teens from the Ohio Valley to the Mid-Atlantic region. After
Friday, temperatures are forecast to moderate and get closer to February
averages as a storm system approaches from the west.

In the precipitation department, a developing surface low over the
southern Plains will tap moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, and result in
an expanding area of rain, freezing rain, sleet, and snow from the Deep
south to the Ohio Valley by Friday night. Another sleet and freezing rain
event is expected from Missouri to northern Georgia, before a change-over
to rain happens later on Saturday. This will reach the East Coast by
Saturday, with snow changing to a wintry mix and eventually to rain for
many areas of the Mid-Atlantic. Elsewhere, upslope flow near the eastern
side of the Rockies will likely lead to light snow for the region on
Friday and Saturday.