Prognostic Discussion for 6 to 10 and 8 to 14 day outlooks
NWS Climate Prediction Center College Park, MD
300 PM EST Tue December 13 2022
 
6-10 DAY OUTLOOK FOR DEC 19 - 23 2022
 
There is fair agreement for the 
500-hPa height pattern among the dynamical 
models today. An area of negative height 
anomalies is maintained over much of 
the contiguous U.S. (CONUS) with the strongest departures in the upper Midwest. 
Tools have begun to build positive height 
anomalies into parts of the western 
CONUS. The tools are in agreement for positive anomalies, however there is 
disagreement for the strength of these 
anomalies and their exact position. The 
GEFS maintains a strong connection with positive height 
anomalies centered in 
the Arctic and through Alaska during the period. However, the European and 
Canadian both offer a more southward height solution, developing a new height 
center off the Pacific Coast of the 
CONUS and more distinct separation between 
the developing height center and the center in the Arctic. This impacts the 
model’s precipitation patterns, particularly over the Pacific Northwest and 
Alaska Panhandle. In Alaska, positive 
500-hPa height 
anomalies remain over 
nearly the entire state with a 
ridge axis splitting the state east-west 
although this axis has shifted slightly further west relative to yesterday. 
 
Despite the minor disagreement in 
500-hPa heights, overall, tools are in good 
agreement for the temperature pattern across much of the country. In Alaska, 
ahead of the 
ridge axis, southerly flow aloft is likely to bring above normal 
temperatures to parts of western Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. Meanwhile, 
across the eastern Mainland and Panhandle, below normal temperatures are 
favored. In the Lower-48, nearly the entire 
CONUS is favored for below-normal 
temperatures during the 6-10 day period. Exceptions are southern portions of 
the Florida Peninsula and Northern Maine. This is a long-duration, high impact, 
cold event that is likely to introduce bitterly cold temperatures to much of 
the United States. Separately, in California and the Southwest, probabilities 
for below-normal temperatures have eased relative to previous forecasts, 
indicating chances for a warming trend by the end of the period. However, 
across the eastern 
CONUS chances have only increased further as tools continue 
to agree on below-normal temperatures.
 
In the eastern CONUS, the 
500-hPa trough has a strong influence on the 
precipitation pattern during the period. At the base of the trough, the 
southern stream may bring a series of storms increasing chances for 
above-normal precipitation along the Gulf Coast. Below-normal precipitation is 
favored for much of the middle Mississippi, Tennessee, and Ohio River Valleys 
beneath the center of the 
trough. Above-normal precipitation is slightly 
favored near the Great Lakes where lake effect and lake enhanced snow may occur 
with the potential for Alberta clipper systems to develop and swing through the 
Northern Tier. There is disagreement between the tools for precipitation across 
the West. European based tools are much wetter in the Pacific Northwest 
compared to GEFS based tools as a result of the differences in the 
500-hPa 
height pattern. Nevertheless, GEFS based tools have grown wetter compared to 
yesterday and near-normal is favored today for the immediate coast with slight 
chances for above-normal along the Cascades. Further south, tools remain in 
good agreement for dryer conditions and below-normal precipitation is favored. 
In Alaska, much of the state is forecast to have below-normal precipitation 
with strong positive 
500-hPa height 
anomalies. An exception is across parts of 
southern and western Mainland Alaska where onshore flow brings slight chances 
for above-normal precipitation.
 
The official 6-10 day 
500-hPa height 
blend consists of 10% of Today's 0z 
GFS 
Ensemble Mean centered on Day 8, 30% of Today's 6z 
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: Above-Average, 4 out of 5, Due to 
good agreement among tools across much of the forecast domain.
 
8-14 DAY OUTLOOK FOR DEC 21 - 27 2022 
 
Dynamical models are in good agreement during week-2 for strong negative 
500-hPa height 
anomalies across the eastern 
CONUS and rising heights across the 
western 
CONUS with continued positive height 
anomalies across much of Alaska. 
During week-2 dynamical tools forecast two positive 
anomaly centers, the first 
over the Arctic Ocean, and a second in the eastern Pacific off of the coast of 
California and Oregon. In the Gulf of Alaska, the positive height 
anomalies 
weaken somewhat in the European and Canadian tools while the GEFS continue to 
maintain a strong connection through Alaska. However, looking at the daily 
evolution of the tools, the GEFS appears to come into better agreement with the 
other models by the end of the period.
 
Temperatures are favored to be below-normal across most of the Lower-48 states 
during the week-2 period. Strongest probabilities remain over the Midwest and 
Northern Plains but chances are high over a vast area with greater than 60% 
odds from the Rocky Mountains, to the Gulf Coast and up into New England. An 
exception to the below-normal temperatures is across California and parts of 
Nevada where positive height 
anomalies appear to be building, increasing 
chances for above-normal temperatures. In Alaska, below-normal temperatures 
remain favored in the Panhandle while above-normal temperatures are favored 
across the southwestern portions of the Mainland and Aleutian Islands.
 
Above-normal precipitation is favored across the Gulf Coast and stretching 
towards the Mid-Atlantic. Dynamical models continue to show chances for storm 
systems to develop in the Gulf of Mexico and to progress up the East Coast 
during week-2. Meanwhile, below-normal precipitation remains favored for the 
Middle Mississippi, Tennessee and Ohio River Valleys. Lake effect snow chances 
keep precipitation chances near-normal in parts of the Great Lakes. Meanwhile, 
upslope flow along the Rockies favors above-normal precipitation. Below-normal 
precipitation is favored for Southern California and the Southwest as the 
positive height 
anomalies continue to limit precipitation. North of California, 
models are showing increased chances for onshore flow to develop and the 
Integrated Water Vapor Transport (IVT) tool indicates increased chances for 
precipitation. Above-normal is favored much of the Pacific Northwest. In 
Alaska, relative to the 6-10 day period, there are increased signals for 
increased precipitation along much of the southern Coast of Alaska, including 
the Panhandle. The Panhandle is likely to see a significant pattern shift by 
the middle to end of the week-2 period. Meanwhile, below-normal precipitation 
is slightly favored across the Northeast. 
 
The official 8-14 day 
500-hPa height 
blend consists of: 10% of Today's 0z 
GFS 
Ensemble Mean centered on Day 11, 20% of Today's 6z 
GFS Ensemble Mean centered 
on Day 11, 50% of Today's 0z European Ensemble Mean centered on Day 11, and 20% 
of Today's 0z Canadian Ensemble Mean centered on Day 11 
 
 
FORECAST CONFIDENCE FOR THE 8-14 DAY PERIOD: Above-Average, 4 out of 5, Due to 
good agreement among the tools but with some decreased confidence with a lack 
of run-to-run continuity.
 
 
FORECASTER: Ryan Bolt
 
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 
December 15.
 
 
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: 
19681217 - 20031226 - 19991210 - 19941206 - 19921213
 
 
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: 
19681217 - 19921213 - 20031226 - 19731122 - 19871214