Welcome to the Winter Weather Watch, your daily briefing on winter weather threats across the nation, from winter weather expert Tom Niziol and our team of meteorologists. Bookmark this page and check back for regular updates through spring 2015.
Below you'll find an overview of current and upcoming winter weather systems, as well as links to jump to the latest forecast and current maps and our list of the 2014-2015 winter storm names. You can either scroll down the page, or click on these links to jump to your section of interest.
- Snowfall forecast: Map showing forecast snowfall totals over the next 48 hours.
- Latest winter radar: See where any snow, freezing rain or sleet is falling now.
- Where's the cold: Is cold air building in Canada or Alaska?
- Winter storm names: The entire list of names this season and the science behind how we name them.
Spring Freeze
- A highly amplified jet stream pattern is in full force across the country with a large West Coast ridge and a deep trough in the East.
- This pattern leads to extreme temperatures in both regions with unseasonably cold weather East and record warmth West.
- The cold air has settled into the South and East with temperatures plummeting 15-25 degrees below average for the first half of the weekend.
- Freezing temperatures anticipated for parts of the South where trees and early flowers are blooming Saturday and Sunday mornings.
- Spotty record lows are possible Saturday and Sunday morning with a hard freeze (mid 20s) possible for parts of the deep South.
- Temps remain generally at or below average Great Lakes and Northeast into next week as most other areas see a nice warmup.
Spring Snow
- A clipper system tracks from the Upper Midwest into the Great Lakes and Northeast Sunday and Monday.
- Light snow is likely with this system northern Minnesota to northern Michigan and into northern New England.
- One thing to keep in mind, a Norlun trough may try to bring some light snow coastal New England to New Jersey Saturday.
- Still uncertainty on exact location and intensity, but a few inches of snow could fall
Northern Storm Track
- A series of disturbances will ride along the jet stream across the northern U.S. from late weekend through next week
- The first system will produce Sunday showers from the upper Mississippi Valley to the upper Great Lakes down to the Ohio valley (snow mix north)
- Another system brings rain/thunder to the Midwest and Great Lakes Wednesday
- Some rain/snow showers over parts of New England Wednesday
Forecast: How Much Snow?
48-Hour Snowfall Forecast
Now: Snow, Sleet, Freezing Rain
Current Winter Radar
Where's the Cold?
Current Temperatures
2014-2015's Winter Storm Names
(MORE: Origin of the Names | Science Behind Naming Winter Storms)
In 2012-2013, there were 27 named winter storms spanning over five months beginning with the post-Sandy Winter Storm Athena in early November and ending with Winter Storm Achilles in early May.
(RECAP: Winter 2012-2013 Named Storms)
In 2013-2014, there were 26 named winter storms beginning in early October with historic High Plains Winter Storm Atlas and ending with a mid-May Rockies snowstorm, Winter Storm Zephyr.
(RECAP: Winter 2013-2014 Named Storms)
Not every winter weather system will receive a name. The Weather Channel has specific criteria in place to determine when we name a particular winter storm. Our two main criteria for naming a winter storm are:
- It is forecast to produce conditions that meet the National Weather Service winter-weather warning threshold(s) over a main population center or multiple states, beginning generally within 48 hours.
- It is forecast to produce winter weather conditions that would be historic, especially unusual, or memorable, beginning generally within 48 hours.
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