Weather Outlook

The dramatic pattern change across the West continues entering the forecast period as the unseasonably cool and wet low pressure system moves into the northern Great Basin Friday and allows for rain to continue falling across the northwestern quarter of the country.

To the south, pockets of critical fire weather conditions are expected as a breezy, dry, but cooler than average westerly flow continues.

A second period of cool and wet conditions begins Saturday as an even cooler system approaches the coast of California and Oregon.

Rain and mountain snow is expected on a broader scale through Sunday night in the higher elevations of northern California, Oregon, Nevada, and Utah. Some lower elevations across extreme western Oregon could see some accumulating snowfall briefly Sunday night as the system begins to move southeast.

On Monday, the strong system will begin to warm as it moves toward the Four Corners. High pressure will briefly move on shore into California and southwestern Oregon and will allow for some warming to occur.

Critical fire weather conditions will again develop across portions of the Southwest as winds increase and as humidity levels remain dry.

A third strong system is expected to move into the Pacific Northwest and northern California Tuesday night and Wednesday bringing more rain and mountain snow.

This system will split into two with both systems stalling out. One will be centered over Montana and will take the majority of the moisture and cold air with it, and the other will take up residence over the Southwest and will be mostly dry and windy on its eastern flanks.

In Alaska, the convective southerly flow will gradually transition briefly to a warm and dry pattern across the Interior as high pressure builds in from the Yukon Territory. However, the convective pattern will resume mid-week as the ridge drifts eastward and weakens.