Prognostic Discussion for 6 to 10 and 8 to 14 day outlooks 
NWS Climate Prediction Center College Park, MD 
300 PM EDT Sun September 13 2026 
 
6-10 DAY OUTLOOK FOR SEP 19 - 23 2026 
 
The extended range forecast remains on track as dynamical models continue to  
depict a significant pattern transition during the 6 to 10 day period. The  
period begins with a strongly positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)  
pattern, characterized by below normal heights across much of the higher  
latitudes of the Western Hemisphere from Greenland across Baffin Bay and the  
Labrador Sea and into much of northern and eastern Canada. Above normal  
mid-level heights stretch across almost the entirety of the contiguous United  
States (CONUS). Anomalous ridging is forecast over Southeast Alaska and a weak  
trough is forecast over the eastern Bering Sea. As time progresses, the  
positive NAO pattern breaks down, as the anomalous ridge over Southeast Alaska  
quickly progresses eastward and heights begin to rise over central Canada and  
eventually parts of eastern Canada. As this transition takes place, a trough  
initially over central Canada is forecast to be displaced to the south and  
east, clipping the Great Lakes and Northeast during the middle and later parts  
of the period. Remnant ridging and associated above normal heights are  
generally forecast to persist farther to the south and west, particularly  
across the interior West. A weak trough or closed low is forecast off the coast  
of northern California early in the period, with uncertainty high as to its  
evolution thereafter. Heights are forecast to fall across much of Alaska as the  
trough over the eastern Bering Sea progresses to the western Mainland and  
deepens. An active eastern and central tropical Pacific continues with the  
National Hurricane Center depicting one named storm (Norbert) and an additional  
area of potential cyclone development. The active tropical eastern and central  
tropical Pacific may, in turn, favor an active pattern for Hawaii. 
 
With a positive NAO in place early in the period, near to above normal  
temperatures are favored for much of the CONUS. Confidence is high (50 to 70  
percent chance) for above normal temperatures from northern portions of the  
Interior West across to the northern High Plains, where mid-level riding is  
forecast to be most persistent. However, near to below normal temperatures are  
favored for New England and adjacent areas, as a trough progresses through  
these regions during the middle and later parts of the period. Above normal  
temperatures are likely across the southeastern quadrant of the CONUS, as a  
frontal boundary may stall well north of the region. Southeastern Alaska is  
likely to experience warmer than normal temperatures as anomalous ridging  
dominates early in the period. Increased troughing and predicted height falls  
lead to a tilt toward near or below normal temperatures across the remainder of  
the Mainland. Parts of the Aleutians lean warm, as above normal heights  
overspread the area from a flat but expansive ridge to its east. Hawaii is  
likely to be warmer than normal due to expansive above normal sea surface  
temperatures in the tropical eastern and central Pacific associated with the  
current El Nino. 
 
Increased tropical moisture advection continues to result in elevated  
probabilities for above-normal precipitation across much of the West. The  
highest probabilities (greater than 50 percent) are focused across the  
Southwest and adjacent areas. Above normal precipitation is also favored from  
the Northeast and Mid Atlantic toward the Middle Mississippi Valley associated  
with a predicted frontal boundary. As surface high pressure builds behind this  
frontal boundary, near- to below-normal precipitation is favored for the  
Pacific Northwest and along the U.S.-Canada border. A tilt toward above normal  
precipitation is indicated well to the south of this surface high, across the  
Florida Peninsula and South Texas, underneath enhanced easterly low level flow.  
An active period is likely for much of Alaska, as a stubborn area of surface  
low pressure persists near the south coast of the Mainland. An active eastern  
and central tropical Pacific, including potential influences from Norbert,  
favors above normal precipitation across Hawaii. Please stay tuned to the  
National Hurricane Center for the latest developments in the tropics. 
 
The official 6-10 day 500-hPa height blend consists of 33% of Today's 0z GFS  
Ensemble Mean centered on Day 8, 34% of Today's 0z European Ensemble Mean  
centered on Day 8, and 33% 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 model agreement and continuity of model solutions, offset by uncertainties  
in the evolution of a transitional pattern later in the period. 
 
8-14 DAY OUTLOOK FOR SEP 21 - 27 2026  
 
By the beginning of the week-2 period, a significant pattern transition is  
forecast to be well underway as the positive NAO weakens. The period begins  
with anomalous ridging over the interior West and downstream troughing over the  
Great Lakes and Northeast. Anomalous troughing is also forecast in the vicinity  
of the Alaska Peninsula. As time progresses, above normal heights begin to  
overspread the north-central CONUS as the ridge pushes east. Correspondingly,  
the trough over the Northeast begins to weaken toward the middle and end of  
week-2. Uncertainty remains high across the West Coast, regarding the potential  
evolution of a weak trough near or just off the coast. Models are in generally  
good agreement in predicting increased troughing across much of western  
Mainland Alaska, at least through the middle of week-2. Enhanced tropical  
activity over eastern and central tropical pacific is likely to continue,  
prolonging the potential for an active pattern across Hawaii. 
 
Above normal temperatures are favored across much of the Lower 48. Confidence  
is high (50 to 70 percent chance) for above normal temperatures for much of the  
middle third of the CONUS, where ridging is forecast to be most persistent.  
Near normal temperatures are favored for eastern Maine and for northern  
portions of the West Coast, due to anomalous troughing, especially during the  
early and middle part of week-2. With increased troughing predicted, near or  
below normal temperatures are favored for Mainland Alaska. Elevated odds of  
above normal temperatures are restricted to southeastern parts of the state,  
due to ridging predicted early in the period. A tilt toward above normal  
temperatures persists across the Alautians, as sea surface temperatures  
adjacent to the islands are above normal. Hawaii is likely to be warmer than  
normal, due to widespread above normal SSTs in the eastern and central tropical  
Pacific.  
 
Elevated tropical activity in the eastern and central Pacific favors an active  
pattern across Hawaii. The potential for increased moisture from the tropical  
Pacific also favors elevated odds for above normal precipitation across much of  
the West. Uncertainty is high as to how far to the north the region of above  
normal precipitation may extend, and is dependent on the evolution of a weak  
trough off of the West Coast. Teleconnections from the trough position as well  
as from anomalous ridging over south-central Canada are supportive of a  
northward push of moisture into the Great Basin and California, where above  
normal precipitation is modestly favored. Conversely, strong surface high  
pressure favors below normal precipitation farther to the east, across the  
Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and interior Northeast. Enhanced northeasterly low  
level flow on the southern and eastern periphery of this surface high pressure  
favors advection of maritime air across much of the East Coast and Southeast,  
where near or above normal precipitation is favored. Above normal precipitation  
is also favored across most of Alaska, as cyclonic flow becomes more dominant  
and mid-level heights fall. 
 
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, due to  
diverging model solutions as well as uncertainties regarding the evolution of  
an active eastern and central tropical Pacific. 
 
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  
September 17. 
 
 
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: 
20160827 - 20050922 - 20200912 - 20020904 - 20180829 
 
 
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: 
20050911 - 19900826 - 20100909 - 20020903 - 20230903 
 
 
6-10 DAY OUTLOOK TABLE 
Outlook for Sep 19 - 23 2026 
 
STATE      TEMP PCPN   STATE      TEMP PCPN   STATE      TEMP PCPN    
WASHINGTON  A    B     OREGON      A    B     NRN CALIF   A    N      
SRN CALIF   A    A     IDAHO       A    N     NEVADA      A    A      
W MONTANA   A    N     E MONTANA   A    N     WYOMING     A    A      
UTAH        A    A     ARIZONA     A    A     COLORADO    A    A      
NEW MEXICO  A    A     N DAKOTA    A    N     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    N     IOWA        A    N     MISSOURI    A    A      
ARKANSAS    A    A     LOUISIANA   A    A     WISCONSIN   A    N      
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     B    A     NEW HAMP    B    A     MAINE       B    A      
MASS        N    A     CONN        N    A     RHODE IS    N    A      
PENN        A    A     NEW JERSEY  A    A     W VIRGINIA  A    A      
MARYLAND    A    A     DELAWARE    A    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    A      
AK ALEUTIAN N    A     AK WESTERN  B    A     AK INT BSN  B    A      
AK S INT    B    A     AK SO COAST N    A     AK PNHDL    A    A      
  
                            
 
8-14 DAY OUTLOOK TABLE 
Outlook for Sep 21 - 27 2026 
 
STATE      TEMP PCPN   STATE      TEMP PCPN   STATE      TEMP PCPN    
WASHINGTON  N    A     OREGON      N    A     NRN CALIF   N    A      
SRN CALIF   A    A     IDAHO       A    A     NEVADA      A    A      
W MONTANA   A    A     E MONTANA   A    A     WYOMING     A    A      
UTAH        A    A     ARIZONA     A    A     COLORADO    A    A      
NEW MEXICO  A    A     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    N     IOWA        A    N     MISSOURI    A    N      
ARKANSAS    A    N     LOUISIANA   A    A     WISCONSIN   A    B      
ILLINOIS    A    B     MISSISSIPPI A    A     MICHIGAN    A    B      
INDIANA     A    N     OHIO        A    N     KENTUCKY    A    A      
TENNESSEE   A    A     ALABAMA     A    A     NEW YORK    A    N      
VERMONT     A    N     NEW HAMP    A    N     MAINE       A    N      
MASS        A    A     CONN        A    A     RHODE IS    A    A      
PENN        A    A     NEW JERSEY  A    A     W VIRGINIA  A    A      
MARYLAND    A    A     DELAWARE    A    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    A      
AK ALEUTIAN N    A     AK WESTERN  B    A     AK INT BSN  B    A      
AK S INT    N    A     AK SO COAST N    A     AK PNHDL    A    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. 
 
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