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6-10 Day outlooks are issued daily between 3pm & 4pm Eastern Time. All forecasts issued on weekends are completely automated while all weekday outlooks are modified by the forecaster.
 
Please refer to the U.S. Prognostic Discussion for an explanation of terms and symbols used on these maps.


 
 
HOME> Outlook Maps> Prognostic Map Discussion
 
Prognostic Discussions
Valid: Apr 28 - May 02, 2024 (6-10 Day Outlook)
Valid: Apr 30 - May 06, 2024 (8-14 Day Outlook)
Issued: Apr 22, 2024

Prognostic Discussion for 6 to 10 and 8 to 14 day outlooks 
NWS Climate Prediction Center College Park, MD 
300 PM EDT Mon April 22 2024 
 
6-10 DAY OUTLOOK FOR APR 28 - MAY 02, 2024 
 
A variable 500-hPa circulation pattern is forecast over the region of North  
America during the 6-10 day period. At the start of the period a trough is  
forecast near the coast of the Alaska Panhandle and British Columbia, and a  
weak trough is forecast over the central contiguous U.S. (CONUS). A weak trough  
is forecast over Mainland Alaska during the period. A ridge is generally  
predicted over the eastern CONUS by ensemble mean forecasts at the start of the  
period, retrogressing into the central CONUS over time, as a predicted trough  
moves into the West.  
 
Above normal temperatures are favored for the Aleutians and southern half of  
Mainland Alaska during the 6-10 day period under southerly mid-level flow.  
Below normal temperatures are favored for northern Mainland Alaska, under a  
predicted trough. Below normal temperatures are favored for the Pacific  
Northwest, under a predicted trough during the period. Above normal  
temperatures are likely across most of the remainder of the CONUS with a ridge  
predicted over the eastern and central CONUS. Above normal temperatures are  
slightly favored for northwestern islands of Hawaii supported by the Auto  
forecast.  
 
Above normal precipitation is favored for interior areas of central Mainland  
Alaska and the Alaska Panhandle, consistent with most dynamical model  
forecasts, and under a predicted trough. Near normal precipitation is favored  
for much of the southwestern CONUS, where little or no precipitation is  
expected during the period for these climatologically relatively dry regions.  
Above normal precipitation is favored across much of the northern CONUS from  
the Pacific Northwest, ahead of a predicted trough, and for the Great Plains  
and Mississippi Valley with southerly surface moisture transport, as well as  
far northern areas of the Northeast, as predicted by the consolidation of  
calibrated dynamical model precipitation forecasts. Above normal precipitation  
is slightly favored across Hawaii supported by the Auto forecast.  
 
The official 6-10 day 500-hPa height blend consists of 35% of Today's 0z GFS  
Ensemble Mean centered on Day 8, 35% of Today's 0z European Ensemble Mean  
centered on Day 8, and 30% of Today's 0z Canadian Ensemble Mean centered on Day  
8  
  
 
FORECAST CONFIDENCE FOR THE 6-10 DAY PERIOD: About average, 3 out of 5, with  
good agreement in the overall circulation pattern for the period, offset by  
weaker signals and some disagreement among precipitation and temperature tools.  
 
 
8-14 DAY OUTLOOK FOR APR 30 - MAY 06, 2024  
 
The overall 500-hPa circulation pattern predicted for the 6-10 day period  
mostly persists into the 8-14 day period. Weak anomalies with slightly below  
average 500-hPa heights continue to be predicted over northern Mainland Alaska,  
while positive 500-hPa height anomalies are predicted over the Aleutians and  
south coast. A weak trough is predicted over the western CONUS for the 8-14 day  
period, while positive 500-hPa height anomalies are predicted over the eastern  
two-thirds of the CONUS. Overall, predicted 500-hPa anomalies have weakened in  
the 8-14 day period with increased uncertainty. 
 
Above normal temperatures continue to be favored for Alaska, outside of  
northern and western Mainland Alaska, where near normal temperatures are  
favored, supported by the consolidation of calibrated dynamical model  
forecasts. Near to below normal temperatures are slightly favored for the West,  
under a weak trough. Above normal temperatures continue to be likely over the  
remainder of the CONUS, under predicted positive 500-hPa height anomalies. Near  
normal temperatures are forecast for Hawaii. 
 
Broad troughing to the west of Alaska leads to a slight tilt towards above  
normal precipitation across most of the state, excluding far northwestern  
climatologically dry areas of the Mainland and the southern Alaska Panhandle.  
Above normal precipitation is slightly favored for the northwestern and  
north-central CONUS ahead of the predicted weak trough over the west coast.  
Above normal precipitation is also slightly favored for the Great Plains and  
upper Mississippi Valley with southerly surface moisture transport into this  
region. Near normal precipitation is favored for most of the eastern CONUS as  
there is uncertainty among model forecasts, while below normal precipitation is  
slightly favored for the eastern Gulf Coast under high pressure. Above normal  
precipitation is slightly favored across Hawaii supported by the Auto forecast. 
 
The official 8-14 day 500-hPa height blend consists of: 35% of Today's 0z GFS  
Ensemble Mean centered on Day 11, 35% of Today's 0z European Ensemble Mean  
centered on Day 11, and 30% of Today's 0z Canadian Ensemble Mean centered on  
Day 11  
 
 
FORECAST CONFIDENCE FOR THE 8-14 DAY PERIOD: Slightly below average, 2 out of  
5, with general agreement in the overall circulation pattern for the period,  
offset by weaker 500-hPa height anomalies and weaker signals and some  
disagreement among precipitation and temperature tools.  
 
FORECASTER: D Collins 
 
Notes: 
 
 
Automated forecasts are issued on Saturday and Sunday. Occasionally manual  
intervention is necessary to address quality control and consistency issues. In  
these cases, forecasts are manually drawn but a full discussion is not issued. 
 
 
The notation for the categorical forecast indicated on the maps is the same as  
that in the tables: A-above   N-near normal   B-below 
 
 
The temperature map shows regions with > 33% chance of being warmer (orange,  
"A"), colder (blue, "B"), or close to (unshaded, "N"). Historical average  
values for the calendar period of the forecast (dashes, "f").  Labels on the  
shaded lines give the probability (> 33%) of the more likely category (B or A).  
 Probability of N is always < 40%. 
 
 
The precipitation map shows regions with > 33% chance of being wetter (green,  
"A"), drier (tan, "B"), or close to (unshaded, "n"). Historical median values  
for the calendar period of the forecast (dashes, "inches").  Labels on the  
shaded lines give the probability (> 33%) of the more likely category (B or A).  
 Probability of N is always < 40%. 
 
 
In the southwest and other climatologically dry regions - there will be a  
greater than 33.3% chance of no precipitation and occasionally even a normal  
(i.e. Median) value of zero - especially during the dry seasons.  In such cases  
a forecast of near normal is effectively a forecast of little or no  
precipitation. 
 
 
The climate prediction center uses 1991-2020 base period means as reference in  
the climate outlooks. 
 
The next set of long-lead monthly and seasonal outlooks will be released on May  
16. 
 
 
Analogs to the 5 day mean observed pattern centered 3 days ago (D-3) 
for the region from 20N to 70N latitude and 175E to 60W longitude 
include the 5 day periods centered on the following dates:  
19510402 - 19520402 - 19530402 - 19540402 - 19550402 
 
 
Analogs to the 7 day mean observed pattern centered 4 days ago (D-4) 
for the region from 20N to 70N latitude and 175E to 60W longitude 
include the 7 day periods centered on the following dates:  
19510401 - 19520401 - 19530401 - 19540401 - 19550401 
 
 
6-10 DAY OUTLOOK TABLE 
Outlook for Apr 28 - May 02, 2024 
 
STATE      TEMP PCPN   STATE      TEMP PCPN   STATE      TEMP PCPN    
WASHINGTON  B    A     OREGON      B    A     NRN CALIF   B    N      
SRN CALIF   N    N     IDAHO       B    A     NEVADA      N    N      
W MONTANA   N    A     E MONTANA   A    A     WYOMING     A    A      
UTAH        A    N     ARIZONA     A    N     COLORADO    A    N      
NEW MEXICO  A    A     N DAKOTA    A    A     S DAKOTA    A    A      
NEBRASKA    A    A     KANSAS      A    A     OKLAHOMA    A    A      
N TEXAS     A    A     S TEXAS     A    A     W TEXAS     A    A      
MINNESOTA   A    A     IOWA        A    A     MISSOURI    A    A      
ARKANSAS    A    A     LOUISIANA   A    A     WISCONSIN   A    A      
ILLINOIS    A    A     MISSISSIPPI A    A     MICHIGAN    A    A      
INDIANA     A    A     OHIO        A    N     KENTUCKY    A    N      
TENNESSEE   A    A     ALABAMA     A    A     NEW YORK    A    A      
VERMONT     A    A     NEW HAMP    A    N     MAINE       A    N      
MASS        A    N     CONN        A    N     RHODE IS    A    N      
PENN        A    N     NEW JERSEY  A    N     W VIRGINIA  A    N      
MARYLAND    A    N     DELAWARE    A    B     VIRGINIA    A    N      
N CAROLINA  A    N     S CAROLINA  A    N     GEORGIA     A    N      
FL PNHDL    A    B     FL PENIN    A    B     AK N SLOPE  B    N      
AK ALEUTIAN A    N     AK WESTERN  A    N     AK INT BSN  N    A      
AK S INT    A    A     AK SO COAST A    A     AK PNHDL    A    N      
  
                            
 
8-14 DAY OUTLOOK TABLE 
Outlook for Apr 30 - May 06, 2024 
 
STATE      TEMP PCPN   STATE      TEMP PCPN   STATE      TEMP PCPN    
WASHINGTON  B    A     OREGON      B    A     NRN CALIF   B    A      
SRN CALIF   A    N     IDAHO       N    A     NEVADA      N    N      
W MONTANA   N    A     E MONTANA   A    A     WYOMING     A    A      
UTAH        A    N     ARIZONA     A    N     COLORADO    A    N      
NEW MEXICO  A    A     N DAKOTA    A    A     S DAKOTA    A    A      
NEBRASKA    A    A     KANSAS      A    A     OKLAHOMA    A    A      
N TEXAS     A    A     S TEXAS     A    A     W TEXAS     A    A      
MINNESOTA   A    A     IOWA        A    A     MISSOURI    A    A      
ARKANSAS    A    N     LOUISIANA   A    N     WISCONSIN   A    A      
ILLINOIS    A    N     MISSISSIPPI A    N     MICHIGAN    A    N      
INDIANA     A    N     OHIO        A    N     KENTUCKY    A    N      
TENNESSEE   A    N     ALABAMA     A    N     NEW YORK    A    N      
VERMONT     A    N     NEW HAMP    A    N     MAINE       A    N      
MASS        A    N     CONN        A    N     RHODE IS    A    N      
PENN        A    N     NEW JERSEY  A    N     W VIRGINIA  A    N      
MARYLAND    A    N     DELAWARE    A    N     VIRGINIA    A    N      
N CAROLINA  A    N     S CAROLINA  A    N     GEORGIA     A    N      
FL PNHDL    A    N     FL PENIN    A    N     AK N SLOPE  N    A      
AK ALEUTIAN A    A     AK WESTERN  A    A     AK INT BSN  A    A      
AK S INT    A    A     AK SO COAST A    A     AK PNHDL    A    N      
  
                           LEGEND 
TEMPS WITH RESPECT TO NORMAL     PCPN WITH RESPECT TO MEDIAN 
A - ABOVE   N  - NEAR NORMAL     A - ABOVE   N - NEAR MEDIAN 
B - BELOW                        B - BELOW 
  
THE FORECAST CLASSES REPRESENT AVERAGES FOR EACH STATE. NORMAL 
VALUES - WHICH MAY VARY WIDELY ACROSS SOME STATES - ARE 
AVAILABLE FROM YOUR LOCAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE. 
  
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SEE MESSAGE FXUS06 KWBC - ON AWIPS AS 
PMDMRD. 
 
$$ 
 

                   
 
Related Topics:
Prognostic Discussion, Surface Forecasts, 500mb Heights and Anomalies, Time Series of Surface Forecast Skill, Model Guidance Used Our Mission, Who We Are, CPC Information, CPC Web Team
 

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