3:30pm. Three fires have broken out in the San Diego area.  -- original posting, still valid --- The areas in pink have the highest category of wildfire danger. It is vital that everyone avoids activities that can cause fires.  Above is the forecast for RAIN in Southern California starting this weekend. It is desperately needed!

Per the NWS SPC, heavy snow will fall in this area the next three hours  (till 9pm EST) A Radar Image to Show Your Grandchildren: 4pm EST Both Houston airports are closed as are the airports at Lake Charles, Baton Rouge and Alexandria, Louisiana. Snow has accumulated on the beaches at Galveston and in Alabama.  Updated forecast radar for 8pm EST.  Via Twitter/X, photos of this unusual event.  Earlier today: From Meteorologist Mike Morgan National Weather Service Warnings as of 4pm Pink is a winter storm warning. Purple is a winter weather advisory. Deep blue is a cold wave warning.  This is a storm for the record books. 

With the cold wave gripping the Nation, I'm sure many of you are looking forward to spring.  If you need stock photography, I hope you will keep my collection at Adobe Stock Photography in mind.  Even if you are not in the market to license a photograph today, I hope you will enjoy the variety of images. 

While the forecast rains for this weekend (see below) will be a blessing, we have extreme fire conditions in the meantime.  Not only do we have "extremely critical" (purple) conditions today west and north of downtown Los Angeles, tomorrow they will extend to much of San Diego County.  I'm told by a friend in Orange Co. that he is worried about fire conditions there today.  Please don't drag chains, throw butts or anything else that could start a fire. 

The Gulf Coast Winter Storm as of 11:20pm National Weather Service Winter Storm Warnings  The winter storm warning has been extended east to Florida and South Carolina: Pink = winter storm warning. Dark blue = winter storm watch.  Purple = winter weather advisory

The rain is forecast to begin Friday night and last through the weekend on an intermittent basis.

Wishing you and your administration God's blessing and guidance during your term in office. 

Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson  had a terrific piece yesterday about the Los Angeles wildfires. You can view it here . If you combine it with her report about FEMA , in which I participated, you'll have an idea of what a terrible mess we are in with regard to major disasters in our nation.  At the end of Sharyl's report about the LA Wildfires, we learn that California Governor Newsome is calling for a "independent investigation." But would you trust an investigation panel that he (or Mayor Bass) appoints?  There was an independent investigation after the Maui Fire  . But, it got off the topic in places. Is a state attorney general best qualified to appoint such a panel? For example, instead of exclusively focusing on the fire, the report contains  political  material: This type of political nonsense undermines the credibility of any report which is why the proposed National Disaster Review Board will be forbidden by law* to get into climate change ...

This is an "extremely critical" wildfire situation.  Winds up to 100 mph are forecast to occur!! Please stay weather aware tomorrow!!

Don't try to fly through/to Houston Tuesday, especially in the morning. Get on the phone to your airline NOW! The Latest Watch/Warnings From the NWS Pink = winter storm warning Purple = winter weather advisory Medium blue = winter storm watch Deep blue = cold weather advisory Bright blue = freeze watch Below are the forecast amounts of snow (upper) and freezing rain (lower). I believe that some of media reports calling for more than a foot of snow in Louisiana are unrealistic. Given that Houston doesn't have a single snow plow and that this will be a record snow in parts of the area, there will be plenty of travel issues whether a foot of snow occurs or not. 

Regardless of the cold gripping the nation in many areas (including Kansas), I took this photo of a true optimist pulling his boat through the snow covered Kansas Flint Hills. Here's looking forward to spring!

Extreme cold is coming east of the Rockies! Please take this advice seriously.  Here is an important message from a reader: Hello Mike, Thank you for all the great info and heads up on weather events. For North Dallas you’ve been right on. We’ve gotten prepared for the pipe braking cold Saturday and Sunday. The wind chill should guarantee some broken feed pipes in the apartment complex. Something I learned growing up in Oregon was when pipe breaks were a good possibility we would put two or three five gallon buckets in the bath tub and fill them or fill the bathtub so we have water to flush the toilet. Very few people, especially preparedness experts remember that detail. No water no flushing toilets. Thanks again for all the hard work. Jeff Porter

Below is an updated snowfall forecast.  Please note that snow is likely for the game in Baltimore and Philadelphia tomorrow. Note also that more snow -- along with extreme cold -- will occur in the southern Appalachians that were hit so very hard by Hurricane Helene. Many are still sleeping in tents! Two Winter Storms to Affect the Lower 48 States  Winter Storm #1 The first will affect the Middle Atlantic and Northeast regions starting late tonight and continuing into Sunday night.  Color code:  Pink = winter storm warning . Purple = winter storm watch (a lesser condition) Dark blue = winter storm watch. Please also note there is a winter storm watch for the Buffalo area that will go into effect Monday.  Winter Storm #2 There is the likelihood of an unusual winter storm in the Gulf Coast and Southeast regions.  The dark blue = winter storm watch. The bright turquoise is a warning for extreme cold..  More winter storm watches and warnings will be issued...

Allen Media, a Los Angeles-based group of small town television stations, has begun the process of laying off all of its stations' meteorologists.  The layoffs, according to various reports, begin today and continue until March. Their viewers will lose the vital storm warning service that is especially important during tornado situations given the deterioration of National Weather Service tornado warnings. They provide a vital "second opinion" to NWS warnings.  Allen Media's local television stations Being based in Los Angeles, I doubt the owners of Allen Media Group realize how important this service is. The local meteorologists' replacement will be a new group of meteorologists at The Weather Channel (also owned by Allen Media) that will tape local forecasts for their newscasts.  Of course, the Achilles Heel of this plan is when a derecho, tornado outbreak or major ice/storm blizzard occurs. It will be -- at best -- extremely difficult to provide quality servi...

The shaded area from Houston to Norfolk has the potential for a significant winter storm early next week. Some areas will receive snow and some freezing rain, with the potential for power outages. I would recommend preparations, just in case.  Of course, I will update this forecast. 

Weather conditions will not be ideal for this weekend's playoff games: The game in Detroit is in a domed stadium.  Saturday, 3:30pm CST: Texans at Chiefs: Partly sunny, temperatures in the low 20's with wind chills  as cold as 3°F. Sunday, 3:00pm EST: Rams at Eagles: Snow developing. Temperatures in the 20's with wind chills in the teens (light winds).  Sunday, 6:30pm EST: Ravens at Bills: Snow showers in the area. Temperatures in the low to mid teens with wind chills around -5°F. Addition: A winter storm watch is in effect from West Virginia to Massachusetts.

Between the Los Angeles fires and two recent winter storms, I wanted to use this space to bring our readers up-to-date on a couple items of interest.  North Carolina - Helene Disaster FEMA has continued to drop the ball. People have been left without housing in the snow and cold or, for those with hotel vouchers, they have been left hanging as to their renewal until -- literally -- 12 hours (the evening before) they expired.  Yes, those are tents with people sleeping in them in the freezing cold. I continue to -- strongly -- recommend  Samaritan's Purse  and  EmergencyRV  if you want to donate. We can only hope that the Trump Administration has the compassion that Biden's FEMA lacks.  If you wish to see my Full Measure interview pertaining to the future of FEMA, please see below: UPDATE (10:15am Friday): The predictable FEMA nightmare is starting in Los Angeles. Please see my Full Measure  interview (above) and my suggestions to President Trump...

Arrowhead Stadium This is important weather forecast information! While not as cold has last year's playoff game against the Dolphins, which resulted in several fans losing a finger or toe due to frostbite, it will still be very cold during this Saturday afternoon's game.  At game time (3:30pm) the temperature will be in the 19-22°F range with the wind chill of about 5°. Temperatures will fall during the game. By 7pm, the temperature will be down to about 15° with a wind chill down around zero. No significant precipitation is expected. The cold front that will come through the KC area Saturday will usher in the coldest weather of the winter, so far.  If you will be in town Sunday, the noon temperature will be around 10° with a wind chill of around -5°F. 

NWS forecast fire danger for Thursday is in the "elevated" rather than critical or extremely critical. Please don't let your guard down, however. 

His highly informative article is here .  I provided my evidence here . Of course, the two are similar. 

Please continue to do everything possible to prevent a fire from starting.  Addition: Several fires have broken out today. The above is from a few minutes ago. 

Wikipedia  If you are planning to attend the Texans vs Chiefs Saturday afternoon, please be prepared for very cold conditions. The temperature at game time should be about 25° with a north wind of 10-20mph which should make for a wind chill of about 11°F. Unfortunately, temperatures will be falling significantly during the game. Please make sure you are adequately dressed!   Note: In the extreme cold of last year's playoff game (about 20 degrees colder wind chill than being forecast for Saturday) fans lost limbs (especially fingers and toes).  Please take this seriously.