Welcome Pattern Change Will Bring Wet Weather to West, Warmth to East

Linda Lam
Published: March 2,2016
A shift in the weather pattern is expected beginning this weekend, which will bring welcome rain to California and warmer temperatures to the central and eastern U.S.
Late this week and into next week, computer model forecasts suggest that an upper-level trough, or dip in the jet stream, will develop over the West and the adjacent Pacific Ocean. In response, the jet stream will slide farther north over the East.

Pattern Change For Second Week of March

This will result in above-average temperatures across the central and eastern U.S., as well as an active weather pattern for much of the West and possibly portions of the Plains, South and into the Great Lakes.
Most importantly, this setup will allow some much needed rain and mountain snow to return to California where timing is running out for drought relieft this winter and early spring.
(MORE: Record Wet, Warm Winter)

Wet Weather Returns to the West

A significant change in the weather pattern is expected beginning this weekend and lasting into next week. This pattern will feature an active storm track with a series of disturbances moving into the West, which will bring more widespread rainfall, mountain snow, and gusty winds.
The good news is the storm systems will move farther south into California rather than remaining to the north over the Pacific Northwest.
This welcomed wetter pattern for California will also be accompanied by cooler temperatures across the West.

Rainfall and Snowfall Forecast

The chance for heavy rain and snow, along with gusty winds will return to California starting this weekend. This wet trend will then likely persist through much of next week, allowing for some much-needed precipitation to continue in the state of California.
(MORE: California's Time is Running Out For Drought Relief This Season)
The Climate Prediction Center's (CPC) forecast for March 7-11 gives more than a 50 percent chance of above-average precipitation from the Rockies to the West Coast, with the greatest chance of wetter than average conditions for much of California, western Nevada and southern Arizona. The southern Plains and Lower Mississipi Valley are also likely to see wet conditions during this time. The CPC forecast for the March 9-15 time frame highlights locations west of the Rockies as having a greater than 50 percent chance of seeing wetter than average conditions.
Though the overall wetter patten is good news for California, it could also end up being too much of a good thing. Depending on how wet the storms are and how quickly they follow after each other, some flooding may eventually develop.

Warmer Temperatures Spread Across the East

This weekend a upper-level ridge of high pressure will slide east from the West over the Plains and into the Midwest. This will bring a south-southwesterly flow early next week, which will allow warmer temperatures to spread across areas east of the Rockies.
At the surface, high pressure will slide eastward off the East Coast early next week. This area of high pressure will help to bring mainly dry conditions to the East early next week as well.

Forecast Highs Compared to Average

Temperatures are expected to be warmer than average for the Plains, Midwest, South and East. High temperatures may be more than 25 degrees above average from the northern Plains into the Great Lakes and portions of the Northeast at times, beginning this weekend and persisting into next week.
(MAPS: 10-Day Forecast Highs/Lows and Weather Conditions)
High temperatures will range from the 50s to the 70s for most areas east of the Rockies early next week. Temperatures below freezing will be hard to find next week, with just a few areas from the Upper Midwest to northern New England seeing low temperatures fall below the 32-degree mark.
During the March 7-11 time period, areas from the Rockies to the East Coast are depicted as seeing a higher than 50 percent chance of above average conditions, according to the CPC. The forecast also gives all areas from the Plains eastward, with the exception of southern and western Texas a greater than 50 percent chance of warmer than average temperatures from March 9-15.
MORE: Western Storms, California Flooding January 2016 (PHOTOS)