NOAA 8-14 Day Outlook: Colder in the East, Warmer in the West

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Yesterday the NOAA released its outlook for the end of November. The second half of November into December typically sees the majority of ski resorts open for the season; will Mother Nature be kind to them?

Discussion is below:

“…the western CONUS is favored for above normal temperatures, especially Washington and Oregon. Snow cover in higher elevations results in some weakness in those probabilities for eastern Idaho and northern Utah. Below normal temperatures are favored for the eastern CONUS under the influence of continuing broad troughing over the North Atlantic, as well as portions of the Northern Plains. Probabilities for above-normal temperatures in Alaska diminish substantially and become confined only to the southeastern Mainland, while a tilt toward below-normal temperatures builds in along the west coast of Alaska.

Above-normal precipitation continues to be favored for the northwestern CONUS and onshore flow continues, and for the southeastern CONUS along a frontal boundary with the southerly flow off the Gulf of Mexico in place. Below-normal precipitation continues to be favored for the central CONUS as the influence of dry continental air lingers. An area of below normal precipitation is favored for portions of southwestern Alaska under the influence of the lingering anomalous ridge situated over the Bering Sea, while above normal precipitation is favored for portions of eastern and northern Alaska.”