FXUS06 KWBC 141906 PMDMRD Prognostic Discussion for 6 to 10 and 8 to 14 day outlooks NWS Climate Prediction Center College Park, MD 300 PM EDT Tue April 14 2026 6-10 DAY OUTLOOK FOR APR 20 - 24 2026 Model ensemble solutions for 500-hPa height anomalies over North America from the GEFS, ECENS, and CMCE are in reasonable agreement with regard to the synoptic pattern during the 6-10 day period, with differences more so in terms of intensity of various features, rather than in their position. Today's manual blend features troughing over much of Mainland Alaska and the Chukchi Sea, amplified ridging over the North Pacific, moderate troughing over the West Coast and Interior West, broad riding over the central and eastern Contiguous U.S. (CONUS) and troughing over the Hudson Bay and New England. Positive height anomalies over the midsection of the Lower 48 favor above-normal temperatures for much of the CONUS east of the Rockies. Probabilities are highest (>50%) over the Middle Mississippi Valley and adjacent regions, under the axis of the ridge. Conversely, troughing and below normal heights over the West and over New England favors near- to below-normal temperatures for these regions due to likely increased cloudiness as well as cold advection in the wake of surface low pressure systems. For Alaska, strong negative height anomalies centered over the North Slope favor below-normal temperatures across most of the state, with odds increasing from south to north, exceeding 70% for the northern Mainland. Hawaii is strongly favored for above-normal temperatures, under the influence of warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures. Troughing over the West Coast and weakening ridging over the Southeast favor a fairly wet pattern over the CONUS. Slightly enhanced chances of above-normal precipitation are indicated for portions of central California and southern Texas (>40%), where increased subtropical moisture from a robust MJO over the Western Hemisphere is favored to interact with the favorable synoptic pattern. Odds are also slightly elevated over the Great Basin and Northern Rockies, and from southern Texas north-northeastward up to the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes. Near-normal precipitation is favored for the Desert Southwest, too far south to be influenced by the West Coast trough, and along the East Coast, where lingering mid-level ridging over the Southeast keeps enhanced precipitation at bay. Easterly flow at the surface and aloft favors above-normal precipitation for much of Alaska, particularly for Southeastern Alaska, where odds exceed 50%. Hawaii also tilts towards above-normal precipitation, supported by the Hawaii-CON tools. The official 6-10 day 500-hPa height blend consists of 40% of Today's 0z GFS Ensemble Mean centered on Day 8, 40% of Today's 0z European Ensemble Mean centered on Day 8, and 20% 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. Reasonable agreement on synoptic pattern, analogs, and teleconnections, offset by conflicting signals from various tools. 8-14 DAY OUTLOOK FOR APR 22 - 28 2026 The week-2 synoptic pattern as indicated by ensemble solutions is generally a persistence of the pattern seen in the 6-10 day period, with the most notable change being a noticeable reduction in the amplitude of the ridges over the North Pacific and the Southeast U.S., such that nearly zonal flow is favored to become established by the end of the forecast period. Given this, the week-2 temperature and precipitation outlook patterns are quite similar to the earlier period. Much of the CONUS east of the Rockies continues to be favored for above-normal temperatures, but at lower probabilities, reaching their maximum (>50%) over portions of the Gulf Coast and adjacent areas of the Southeast, likely tied to weakening ridging over the region. This weakening also favors a reduction of above-normal temperature probabilities to the north and west, while portions of the Northern Tier and Great Basin remain weakly favored for below-normal temperatures. Alaska remains favored for below-normal temperatures with increasing odds from south to north, peaking at 60% over the northern Mainland. Hawaii is still favored for above-normal temperatures. Continued broad troughing over the West and potential MJO interactions favor a continued wet pattern for much of the Lower 48. Elevated chances of above-normal precipitation is forecast for much of the CONUS, with the exception of the Desert Southwest and northern New England, where near-normal precipitation remains favored by forecast guidance. Enhanced chances (>50%) of above-normal precipitation are forecast for the Middle Mississippi Valley as a round of lee cyclogenesis induces another surface low pressure system over the Central Plains. Alaska continues to tilt towards above-normal precipitation under southwesterly flow aloft, with at least 50% chances indicated for Southeast Alaska. Chances decrease northward, with near-normal precipitation favored for the North Slope. Hawaii also tilts towards above-normal precipitation, supported by the Hawaii-CON tool. The official 8-14 day 500-hPa height blend consists of: 33% of Today's 0z GFS Ensemble Mean centered on Day 11, 34% of Today's 0z European Ensemble Mean centered on Day 11, and 33% of Today's 0z Canadian Ensemble Mean centered on Day 11 FORECAST CONFIDENCE FOR THE 8-14 DAY PERIOD: About average, 3 out of 5. Reasonable agreement on synoptic pattern, analogs, and teleconnections, offset by conflicting signals from various tools. FORECASTER: Daniel Barandiaran Notes: 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 (gray, "N") normal. 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 (gray, "N") normal. 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 April 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: 20200325 - 20210331 - 20030401 - 20020414 - 20250401 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: 20200324 - 20030401 - 20210330 - 20020418 - 20250331 6-10 DAY OUTLOOK TABLE Outlook for Apr 20 - 24 2026 STATE TEMP PCPN STATE TEMP PCPN STATE TEMP PCPN WASHINGTON B A OREGON B A NRN CALIF B A SRN CALIF B A IDAHO B A NEVADA B A W MONTANA N A E MONTANA A A WYOMING A A UTAH N A ARIZONA B N COLORADO A A NEW MEXICO A N 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 A KENTUCKY A A TENNESSEE A A ALABAMA A A NEW YORK B N VERMONT B N NEW HAMP B N MAINE B N MASS B N CONN B N RHODE IS B N PENN N N NEW JERSEY B N W VIRGINIA A N MARYLAND N N DELAWARE B 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 B A AK ALEUTIAN B A AK WESTERN B A AK INT BSN B A AK S INT B A AK SO COAST B A AK PNHDL B A 8-14 DAY OUTLOOK TABLE Outlook for Apr 22 - 28 2026 STATE TEMP PCPN STATE TEMP PCPN STATE TEMP PCPN WASHINGTON N A OREGON N A NRN CALIF A A SRN CALIF N A IDAHO B A NEVADA N A W MONTANA B A E MONTANA B A WYOMING N A UTAH B A ARIZONA N N COLORADO N A NEW MEXICO N N N DAKOTA N A S DAKOTA N 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 A KENTUCKY A A TENNESSEE A A ALABAMA A A NEW YORK N A VERMONT N A NEW HAMP N A MAINE N N MASS N A CONN N A RHODE IS N A PENN N A NEW JERSEY N A W VIRGINIA A A MARYLAND N A DELAWARE N A VIRGINIA A A N CAROLINA A A S CAROLINA A A GEORGIA A A FL PNHDL A A FL PENIN A A AK N SLOPE B N AK ALEUTIAN B A AK WESTERN B A AK INT BSN B A AK S INT B A AK SO COAST B A AK PNHDL B A 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. $$