Day 4-8 Outlook
Day 4-8 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0330 AM CST Wed Jan 14 2026 Valid 171200Z - 221200Z ...DISCUSSION... Medium-range guidance generally indicates that amplified mid-level troughing, evolving by late week to the east of the Rockies, will be maintained through this coming weekend, before a fairly prominent ridge near and offshore of the Pacific Northwest/British Columbia coast weakens and redevelops to the west/northwest. However, even as flow trends less amplified, it appears that a broadly confluent westerly to northwesterly regime to the east of the Rockies may continue to support a series of southeastward developing cold surface ridges. Toward the middle of next week, this may become less of an influence across the southwestern into western Gulf Basin, beneath a belt of strengthening mid/upper westerlies emanating from the subtropical eastern Pacific. It is possible that low-level moistening and forcing for ascent could become supportive of sufficient destabilization for thunderstorm development by Tuesday/Wednesday across the northwestern Gulf. However, it is not yet clear that this will impact areas inland of the Gulf coast, or become particularly strong.
