Weather

Much of the northern two-thirds of the United States can expect temperatures below normal for this time of year. A southern dip in the jet stream will be most pronounced from the Midwest to the Northeast, and extensive cloud cover in the West will also hold back temperatures.

Flurries and heavier snow showers will stretch from northeastern Montana to northern Minnesota and extend southeast to Pennsylvania, western Maryland, West Virginia and central Virginia. While snowfall across the area should mainly be light, even a thin coating of snow combined with a sudden drop in visibility could result in dangerous conditions on highways. The rest of the eastern two-thirds of the nation should be mostly dry. Heavy snow, ice and rain will spread across the South late this week and into the weekend.

A storm from the Pacific Ocean will approach California. Much of the state can expect rain and mountain snow. Some of the rain may be heavy enough to cause flash and urban flooding and to increase the risk of mudslides, especially in recent burn scar locations. One to two feet of snow will accumulate across the Sierra Nevada. North of the storm, much of Washington, Oregon and Idaho will be dry.

FOCUS: Dry in the Northeast

A persistent high-pressure system stretching from the Midwest to the Northeast will provide a prolonged period of dry weather across the region, from Friday through Tuesday. This should also result in increased sunshine.