Ramblings of a Graduate Student

Above is the precipitation forecast for the next 5 days from the National Weather Service’s Hydrometeorological Prediction Center.  Several areas of the United States will experience a wet 5 days.

1. The northeast will experience a very strong storm system during the next 5 days.  A strong cyclone will park itself over New England and continue to draw in warm, moist air into a cold airmass at the surface.  Although along the coast will see a lot of rain, a lot of snow will fall farther inland.  This could be the first real big snow for upstate New York this winter.
2. Central Texas and areas along the Gulf Coast will experience several mid-level shortwave troughs moving through the area.  Each of these troughs will result in a new round of precipitation – some of it falling as snow tomorrow!
3. Oklahoma and Arkansas will experience precipitation late week as more mid-level shortwave troughs move through the southern branch of the jet stream.  It is too early to tell, but this may fall as snow across the northern portions of the states.
4. The west coast will continue to be battered by numerous storms over the next five days.  Each one will bring more precipitation to central and northern California.

With all of this, my attention will be focused on the northeast for the next few days.  The storm that is forecast in this area could be one for the record books.  The potential exists for a lot of snow in the inland areas, a lot of coastal rain, and beach erosion along the coast of Maine.