All,

Remember when I mentioned last week that the “official” Hurricane Season lasts until November 30? Well, no booing, hissing or snowball tossing, please, BUT, there IS a Tropical Disturbance that has been lingering in the Caribbean Sea for about the last week to 10 days, and it appears to now be getting better organized. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is forecasting this current tropical disturbance to develop into a Tropical Depression within the next day or two -  likely over the weekend - as it moves north-northwest toward Jamaica, western Cuba, and into the eastern Gulf of Mexico over the next several days. Again, this system may not strengthen into a Tropical Storm or Hurricane, but NHC forecasters ARE giving it a 70% chance to form into a Tropical Depression over the next 48 hours. Certainly worth keeping an eye on!

As for this weekend’s weather across the Continental United States, it can be summed up pretty easily: a bit of ice in the North Central and Northeastern Regions, moderate to heavy snow in the Northwest, North Rockies, North Central and South Rockies Regions, and a mix of freezing rain, sleet, and snow in parts of KS, NM, TX and OK. Not to leave out the Southeast Region... there is some fairly heavy rainfall in the forecast for parts of southern and southeastern FL. And, unfortunately, not much precipitation at all is in the forecast for much of CA and AZ, so the threat of wildfires continues in those areas. If there is good news, it is that much of CO should receive some good snowfall over the next 3 to 5 days, so let’s hope that will help end the wildfires in that state. - Sid Sperry